Search results
- DictionaryOr·phan/ˈôrf(ə)n/
noun
- 1. a child whose parents are dead: "he was left an orphan as a small boy"
- 2. the first line of a paragraph set as the last line of a page or column, considered undesirable.
verb
- 1. make (a person or animal) an orphan: "John was orphaned at 12"
An orphan is someone who has lost both parents. Usually, we think of sad little children when we think of orphans, but anyone whose parents have both died is an orphan. A home for orphans is no substitute for a house with loving parents, even if they're adopted.
orphan. verb [ T usually passive ] us / ˈɔːr.f ə n / uk / ˈɔː.f ə n /. to make someone an orphan: He was orphaned as a baby (= his parents died when he was a baby). The children were orphaned by the war (= their parents were killed in the war). SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases.
1. Deprived of parents. 2. Intended for orphans: an orphan home. 3. Lacking support, supervision, or care. 4. Being a technology or product that is an orphan. tr.v. or·phaned, or·phan·ing, or·phans. To deprive (a child or young animal) of a parent or parents.
Definition of orphan noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
3 days ago · orphan in American English. (ˈɔrfən) noun. 1. a child who has lost both parents through death, or, less commonly, one parent. 2. a young animal that has been deserted by or has lost its mother. 3. a person or thing that is without protective affiliation, sponsorship, etc.
Definition of orphan – Learner’s Dictionary. orphan. noun [ C ] uk / ˈɔːf ə n / us. Add to word list. a child whose parents are dead. orphan. verb. uk / ˈɔːf ə n / us. be orphaned. When a child is orphaned, both their parents die: She was orphaned at the age of six. orphaned children.
noun. A child whose father and mother are dead. Webster's New World. Similar definitions. A child who has been deprived of parental care and has not been adopted. American Heritage. A child who has lost only one parent by death. Webster's New World. Similar definitions. One that lacks support, supervision, or care.
