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Orphan

/ˈɔːfən/

A person, especially a minor, both or (rarely) one of whose parents have died.

📖 Definitions of "Orphan"

noun
  1. 1

    A person, especially a minor, both or (rarely) one of whose parents have died.

  2. 2

    A person, especially a minor, whose parents have permanently abandoned them.

  3. 3

    A young animal with no mother.

  4. 4

    Anything that is unsupported, as by its source, provider or caretaker, by reason of the supporter's demise or decision to abandon.

verb
  1. 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. 2

    To make unavailable, as by removing the last remaining pointer or reference to.

    "Removing categories orphans pages from the main category tree."

adjective
  1. 1

    Deprived of parents (also orphaned).

    "She is an orphan child."

  2. 2

    (by extension) Remaining after the removal of some form of support.

    "With its government funding curtailed, the gun registry became an orphan program."

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