stepchild

noun step·child \ ˈstep-ˌchī(-ə)ld \

Updated on: 29 Mar 2018

Definition of stepchild

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

See stepchild defined for English-language learners

See stepchild defined for kids

Examples of stepchild in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples of stepchild from the Web

In addition to his wife, survivors include his estranged daughter; several stepchildren; and several grandchildren.

— brett martel, Washington Post, "Tom Benson, owner of NFL, NBA franchises in New Orleans, dies at 90," 16 Mar. 2018
Instead of being the ugly stepchild, Taco Bell became frequently cited as one of the top chains in the Yum Brands empire, which also includes Pizza Hut and KFC.

— rachel abrams, New York Times, "He Led a Turnaround at Taco Bell. Can He Do It at Chipotle?," 15 Feb. 2018
Kenneth is survived by his beloved wife Joan Wolf of Boca Raton FL, his stepchildren Eric Wolf and Elizabeth Wolf, stepgrandchild Sarah Wolf and his sister Suri Schecter.

— Sun-Sentinel.com, "Deaths in South Florida: 3/4," 4 Mar. 2018
Sound design is a stepchild that’s neglected at best, abused at worst.

— elisabeth vincentelli, New York Times, "In 2 New Plays, Sound Design Is Front and Center (for a Change)," 26 Feb. 2018
But the child also must be a U.S. citizen, national or resident alien, and a dependent claimed on the parents’ federal tax return who’s their own legal son, daughter, stepchild, foster child or adoptee.

— tom cooney and crystal faulkner, Cincinnati.com, "Tax reform makes child credit even more valuable," 22 Feb. 2018
In addition to his parents, Donald was predeceased by his brother, Dante J. Aiudi Sr., formerly of Middletown, and stepchildren Joseph and Jennifer Sweeney.

— courant.com, "Donald John Aiudi," 21 Jan. 2018
John Del Toro of San Antonio relied on the visas to gain legal status in the U.S. for his wife and four stepchildren.

— bill lambrecht, San Antonio Express-News, "Family migration visas at risk in DACA debate," 15 Jan. 2018
She will be greatly missed by her husband, Bob Boudreau; stepchildren, Stephanie and Bobby; sisters, Terry Rousse, Robin Turner, and Krista Bedenblah; nephews, nieces, and grandson.

— Sun-Sentinel.com, "Deaths in South Florida: 2/25," 25 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'stepchild.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of stepchild

before 12th century

STEPCHILD Defined for English Language Learners

stepchild

noun

Definition of stepchild for English Language Learners

: your wife's or husband's child by a past marriage or relationship : a stepson or stepdaughter
: someone or something that does not receive enough care or attention