orphan

1 of 2

noun

or·​phan ˈȯr-fən 

1

: a child deprived by death of one or usually both parents

He became an orphan when his parents died in a car accident.

2

: a young animal that has lost its mother

feeding calves that are orphans

3

: one deprived of some protection or advantage

orphans of the storm

refugee orphans of the war

4

: a first line (as of a paragraph) separated from its related text and appearing at the bottom of a printed page or column

orphan adjective

orphanhood

ˈȯr-fən-ˌhu̇d 

noun

orphan

2 of 2

verb

orphaned; orphaning ˈȯr-fə-niŋ 

ˈȯrf-niŋ

transitive verb

: to cause to become an orphan

Examples of orphan in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

D’Annunzio jeers at her delusional belief that Il Duce will fund her dream project of a theater not for the wealthy cultural and intellectual elite, but for the Great War’s widows, orphans and veterans. —David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025

Naturally, the orphans start being tormented by a demon, who was summoned after the girl’s parents prayed to whatever entity would bring their daughter back. —Emily Palmer Heller, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025

Verb

Volunteers stepped in to provide round-the-clock care after the litter was orphaned. —Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025

The Netflix show — which is based on the best-selling novel by Ali Novak — follows Jackie Howard (Nikki Rodriguez), a Manhattan teen who moves to a small town in Colorado to live with the massive Walter family after a family tragedy leaves her orphaned. —Jordana Comiter, People.com, 28 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English orphan, orphen, borrowed from Anglo-French & Late Latin; Anglo-French orphayn, borrowed from Late Latin orphanus, borrowed from Greek orphanós "left without parents, child without parents," derivative (with -anos, noun and adjective suffix) of *orphos "orphan," going back to Indo-European *h₃órbhos "person or property turned over (as after a death)," whence also Armenian orb "orphan," Latin orbus "deprived by death of a relative, bereaved, orphan," Old Church Slavic rabŭ "slave," also (from post-Indo-European *orbhós "one having the inheritance, heir," whence *orbhii̯o- "of the heir") Old Irish orpe, orbae "patrimony, heritage," Old English ierfe "inheritance," Old Saxon erƀi, Old High German erbi, Gothic arbi, and (from Germanic *arbijōn- "heir") Old English ierfa "heir," Old High German erbo, Gothic arbja, runic Norse arbija; Indo-European *h₃órbhos perhaps derivative of a verbal base *h₃erbh- "turn, be turned over, undergo transfer" — more at orb entry 1

Verb

derivative of orphan entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1814, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing orphan

• orphan drug
• orphan's court

Rhymes for orphan

• dextromethorphan
• endorphin

Kids Definition

orphan

1 of 2 noun

or·​phan ˈȯr-fən 

1

: a child whose parents are dead

2

: one who has had some protection or advantage taken away

orphans of the storm

orphan adjective

orphanhood

-ˌhu̇d 

noun

orphan

2 of 2 verb

orphaned; orphaning ˈȯrf-(ə-)niŋ 

: to cause to become an orphan

children orphaned by war

Legal Definition

orphan

noun

or·​phan

: a child deprived by death of one or usually both parents

broadly : a child without a parent or guardian