orphan

noun

a young animal without a mother

the first line of a paragraph that is set as the last line of a page or column

someone or something who lacks support or care or supervision

a child who has lost both parents

verb

deprive of parents

Roots

orphanosorphan- · Greek · bereft, parentless

Synonyms for orphan

parentlessadj foundlingn waifn

Synonyms & related words for orphan

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of orphan — including parentless, foundling, waif. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to orphan

Explore words related to orphan — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include orphanism, unparented, orphanhood, orphanage, sixteener, motherless, fatherless, protectory. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for orphan

Common synonyms for orphan include parentless, foundling, waif — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does orphan come from?

The word orphan breaks down into one root of Greek origin: the root orphan-, from Greek orphanos (“bereft, parentless”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.