orphan
UK: ˈɔːf(ə)n | US: ˈɔːrfən
n. a child whose parents are dead or absent
vt. to deprive of parents (rare usage)
The word "orphan" traces back to the Greek orphanos (ὀρφανός), meaning "bereft" or "parentless," which passed into Latin as orphanus. It entered Old English via Late Latin and retained its core meaning of a child deprived of parental care. Unlike many English words, "orphan" resists further morpheme division because its Greek root is already a compact unit describing the concept of loss. The term has remained semantically stable for millennia, reflecting the universality of its tragic context.
The charity provides education for orphans in war-torn regions.
After the tsunami, many children were orphaned and needed foster care.
In the novel, the protagonist grows up as an orphan in a distant relative’s home.
The documentary highlighted the struggles of orphaned wildlife.
Ancient laws often addressed the protection of orphans to ensure their inheritance rights.