a child whose parents are dead, a person or thing that is without protective affiliation, support, or the like

to be left an orphan, to adopt an orphan cause, to be an orphan of the storm

adopted orphan, orphan drug, orphan works

Formal and Informal Expressions of orphan

In different contexts, you can replace 'orphan' with suitable alternatives. In a more formal setting, 'child without parents, person without affiliation' is apt. In informal speech or writing, 'parentless child, loner' is a commonplace synonym.

orphan: Explore its Definition & Usage

orphan Definition

1a child whose parents are dead
2a person or thing that is without protective affiliation, support, or the like

Using orphan: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "orphan" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

Example
She was left an orphan at the age of six.
Example
The organization helps orphans and abandoned children.
Example
The company is an orphan in the industry, with no major investors or partners.
Example
The project was an orphan after the original team disbanded.

orphan Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for orphan

foundling
waif
stray
castaway
displaced person

Antonyms for orphan

Idioms Using orphan

to be left an orphan
to lose one's parents through death or abandonment
Example
He was left an orphan at a young age and had to fend for himself.
to adopt an orphan cause
to take up a charitable or social cause that has been neglected or overlooked
Example
The organization decided to adopt an orphan cause and focus on providing aid to refugees.
to be an orphan of the storm
to be left alone and unprotected during a difficult or tumultuous time
Example
After the company went bankrupt, its employees were left orphaned of the storm, struggling to find new jobs.

Phrases with orphan

adopted orphan
a child who has been legally adopted by someone other than their biological parents
Example
She was an adopted orphan, raised by her aunt and uncle.
orphan drug
a pharmaceutical agent developed specifically to treat a rare medical condition, which would otherwise be unprofitable to produce
Example
The company received government funding to develop an orphan drug for a rare genetic disorder.
orphan works
copyrighted works whose owners are difficult or impossible to identify or locate
Example
The library is digitizing a collection of orphan works to make them accessible to the public.

Origins of orphan

from Late Middle English 'orphen', from earlier 'ourifen', from Old French 'orphelin', from Latin 'orphanus', from Greek 'orphanos'

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Summary: orphan in Brief

The term 'orphan' [ˈɔːfən] refers to a child whose parents have died, or a person or thing without protective affiliation. Examples include 'She was left an orphan at the age of six.' and 'The company is an orphan in the industry.' The term extends into phrases like 'adopted orphan,' and idioms like 'to be left an orphan of the storm,' denoting being left alone during a difficult time.