stepchild

noun

step·​child ˈstep-ˌchī(-ə)ld 

1

: a child of one's wife or husband by a former partner

2

: one that fails to receive proper care or attention

is no longer a stepchild in the family of nations

—F. R. Smith

Examples of stepchild in a Sentence

The school has long been the forgotten stepchild of the state university system.

Recent Examples on the Web

The actress has been married to Sister, Sister alum Tim Reid since 1982, per WRIC, and has one child, along with two stepchildren. —Andrea Wurzburger, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025

Investigators believe Dickens killed three of his biological children — ages 6, 9, and 10 — as well as his 18-year-old stepchild, the sheriff's office said. —Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025

The sheriff’s office said investigators believe Dickens killed three of his biological children and his 18-year-old stepchild. —Khaleda Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025

Investigators who responded to the home of Wellington Dickens III, 38, discovered the bodies of three of his biological children and a stepchild, the Johnson County Sheriff's Office said. —Tim Stelloh, NBC news, 28 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for stepchild

• beguiled
• brainchild
• compiled
• defiled
• exiled
• grandchild
• profiled
• refiled
• reviled
• stockpiled
• domiciled
• reconciled

Kids Definition

stepchild

noun

step·​child ˈstep-ˌchīld 

: a child of one's wife or husband by a former partner