Definition of Orphan

1. Noun. A child who has lost both parents.


2. Verb. Deprive of parents.
Generic synonyms: Deprive, Divest, Strip
Derivative terms: Orphanage, Orphanage

3. Noun. Someone or something who lacks support or care or supervision.
Generic synonyms: Individual, Mortal, Person, Somebody, Someone, Soul

4. Noun. The first line of a paragraph that is set as the last line of a page or column.
Generic synonyms: Line

5. Noun. A young animal without a mother.
Generic synonyms: Offspring, Young

Definition of Orphan

1. n. A child bereaved of both father and mother; sometimes, also, a child who has but one parent living.

2. a. Bereaved of parents, or (sometimes) of one parent.

3. v. t. To cause to become an orphan; to deprive of parents.

Definition of Orphan

1. Noun. A person, especially a minor, both or (rarely) one of whose parents have died. ¹

2. Noun. A young animal with no mother. ¹

3. Noun. (figuratively) Anything that is unsupported, as by its source, provider or caretaker, by reason of the supporter's demise or decision to abandon. ¹

4. Noun. (typography) A single line of type, beginning a paragraph, at the bottom of a column or page. ¹

5. Noun. (computing) Any unreferenced abstract object. ¹

6. Adjective. Deprived of parents (also (term orphaned)). ¹

7. Adjective. (by extension figuratively) Remaining after the removal of some form of support. ¹

8. Verb. (transitive) To deprive of parents (''used almost exclusively in the passive'') ¹

9. Verb. (transitive) (computing) To make unavailable, as by unlinking the last remaining pointer to. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Orphan

1. to deprive of both parents [v -ED, -ING, -S]

Medical Definition of Orphan

1. See: orphan products. Origin: G. Orphanos (05 Mar 2000)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Orphan

orotidylic acid decarboxylase
orotidylic acid phosphorylase
orotidylic acid pyrophosphorylase
orotracheal
orotracheal intubation
orotracheal tube
orotracheally
orotund
orotundities
orotundity
orotundly
orped
orpedly
orpeko
orphaline
orphan (current term)
orphan asylum
orphan disease
orphan drug
orphan drug act
orphan drug production
orphan drugs
orphan medicine
orphan products
orphan site
orphan virus
orphan viruses
orphanage
orphanages
orphanarium

Literary usage of Orphan

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Annual Report (1897)
"Syracuse 30ft Missionary Sisters of the Third i >rder of St. Francis, Peekskill 1213 orphan Asylum Society, Brooklyn Ontario ..."

2. The Care of Destitute, Neglected, and Delinquent Children by Homer Folks (1902)
"1738 Bethesda orphan house, Savannah. 1797 Society for the relief of widows and ... 1807 orphan asylum, Baltimore. 1813 Boston asylum for indigent boys. ..."

3. The Complete Poetical Works of Sir Walter Scott by Walter Scott (1900)
"The orphan by the oak was set, Her arms, her feet, were bare; The hail-drops had not melted yet Amid her raven hair. ' And, dame,' she said, ..."

4. The Encyclopedia Americana: A Library of Universal Knowledge (1919)
"Some of the more important are given below : Hebrew orphan Home ; Old Ladies' Home ; Florence Crittenden Home ; Confederate Soldiers Home (Atlanta) ..."

5. The Social Welfare Forum: Official Proceedings ... Annual Forum by National Conference on Social Welfare, American Social Science Association, Conference of Charities (U.S., Conference of Charities (U.S.), National Conference of Social Work (U.S. (1885)
"St. Vincent's orphan Asylum, San Rafael, ... San Francisco Female orphan Asylum, ... Boniface orphan Asylum, 743-66 Total to Catholic institutions, ..."

6. The Catholic Encyclopedia: An International Work of Reference on the by Charles George Herbermann (1913)
"Neglect of the destitute orphan is only to be expected in a world where the ... A man should love the unfortunate orphan of whom he is guardian as if he ..."

7. The Catholic Encyclopedia: An International Work of Reference on the by Charles George Herbermann (1913)
"Archdiocese of Philadelphia: 13 Italian churches; 21 priests; 3 parochial schools (25 Sisters of Saint Francis), attended by 1615 pupils; 1 orphan asylum, ..."

8. Journal by New York (N.Y.). Board of Education (1885)
"Kupl.mvd and Crippled 1697 i>0 The School of the Hebrew orphan Soc. 921 29 The School of the Association for Befriending Children and Young Girls 1832 23 ..."

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