orphan

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA ^(key): /ˈɔːfən/
• (US) IPA ^(key): /ˈɔrfən/

• Audio (US)

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Noun

Singular orphan

Plural orphans

1. An orphan is someone who does not have parents. That is, their mother and father are both dead. This is most often used for a child.

   She became an orphan when the storm killed her parents.

   We could not have children, so we adopted an orphan.

Related words

• orphanage