plural orphans
: a child whose parents are dead
He was left an orphan [=he became an orphan] when his parents died in a car accident.
—sometimes used of animalsThe baby raccoon were orphans.
orphans; orphaned; orphaning
: to cause (a child) to become an orphan
—usually used as (be) orphaned
He was orphaned as a young boy when his parents died in a car accident.
Thousands of children were orphaned by the war.
—sometimes used of animalsorphaned puppies
—sometimes used figurativelyThe second volume of the two-volume set was orphaned when we lost the first volume.
Cite this Entry
“Orphan.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/orphan. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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