orphan

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA ^(key): /ˈɔːfən/
• (US) IPA ^(key): /ˈɔrfən/

• Audio (US)

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Noun

Singular orphan

Plural orphans

Orphans

1. An orphan is someone who does not have parents. That is, their mother and father are both dead. This is most often used for a child.

   She became an orphan when the storm killed her parents.

   We could not have children, so we adopted an orphan.

Related words

• orphanage