Orphan

Quick meaning: Orphan is a noun meaning A person, especially a minor, both or (rarely) one of whose parents have died.

Meaning

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

More Meanings

1. A person, especially a minor, whose parents have permanently abandoned them.
2. A young animal with no mother.
3. (typography) A single line of type, beginning a paragraph, at the bottom of a column or page.
4. (computing) Any unreferenced object.
5. Deprived of parents (also orphaned).
6. (by extension, figuratively) Remaining after the removal of some form of support.
7. (figuratively) Anything that is unsupported, as by its source, provider or caretaker, by reason of the supporter's demise or decision to abandon.

Example Sentences

She is an orphan child.

Removing categories orphans pages from the main category tree.

When you removed that image tag, you orphaned the resized icon.

What do you do when you come across two orphaned polar bear cubs?

Word Forms

• orphans
• orphane
• orphaning
• orphaned
• orphanest
• orphanedst
• orphaneth

Synonyms for orphan

Depending on context, synonyms include orphaned, parentless, unparented.

Antonyms for orphan

Common opposites include widow.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include unparented, parentless, abandoned, derelict, rare, foundling.

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