budling

English

Etymology

From bud +‎ -ling.

Noun

budling (plural budlings)

1. A small, young, or immature bud.
   • 1946, Herbert John Webber, Leon Dexter Batchelor, The Citrus Industry:

     When, with the entire population of 389 trees, budling size was correlated with total five-year yield of fruit per tree in the eight-year-old orchard, the coefficient was +0.517 ± 0.025; and with variants removed this was reduced to - 0.233 ± 0.034.

   • 2011, Harry Turtledove, A World of Difference:

     "Seeing the new budling reminds me life goes on, that's all. ... Not even Temat should have to listen to him maundering on so, let alone the budling-keeper, whose biggest responsibility was making sure his charges did not kill one another [...]"