Word Explorer
Orphan
/ˈɔːfən/
A person, especially a minor, both or (rarely) one of whose parents have died.
📖 Definitions of "Orphan"
- 1
A person, especially a minor, both or (rarely) one of whose parents have died.
- 2
A person, especially a minor, whose parents have permanently abandoned them.
- 3
A young animal with no mother.
- 4
Anything that is unsupported, as by its source, provider or caretaker, by reason of the supporter's demise or decision to abandon.
- 1
To deprive of parents (used almost exclusively in the passive)
"What do you do when you come across two orphaned polar bear cubs?"
- 2
To make unavailable, as by removing the last remaining pointer or reference to.
"Removing categories orphans pages from the main category tree."
- 1
Deprived of parents (also orphaned).
"She is an orphan child."
- 2
(by extension) Remaining after the removal of some form of support.
"With its government funding curtailed, the gun registry became an orphan program."
Translate “Orphan” into Another Language
Pick a language — the word will be pre-filled in the translator.