Word of the day · 15 August 2026
callow
/ˈkæləʊ/
adjective
Immature or inexperienced, especially of a young person.
In a sentence
- His callow first draft ignored every counterargument.
- A callow intern asked questions veterans had stopped asking.
- She outgrew her callow certainty after a hard season abroad.
In an image
Origin
From Old English calu (bald, bare); later used of unfledged birds and then of inexperienced youth.
History
Callow once described bare ground and young birds without feathers. The transfer to naive young people followed a clear image: not yet ready for flight. Critics still use it for early work that shows promise without judgment. It stings less than foolish when the fault is simply lack of years.
Nearby words
green · naive · unfledged
Youth without the polish of practice yet.