orphan
noun
a child who has lost both parents through death, or, less commonly, one parent.
orphaned
-
past participleof orphan.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
-
past tense formof orphan.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
orphannouna child who has lost both parents through death, or, less commonly, one parent.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The BBC understands Ahmadzai, who left Afghanistan after being orphaned aged 15, lives in Greece with his American wife and child.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
Mitchell said intraparty matchups in the past have shown 35% of orphaned voters or more simply abstain from voting in that race.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026
The calf, which has been named Bumpy, was "just days old" when it became orphaned, according to Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, a charity whose keepers are now taking care of it.
From BBC ● May 6, 2026
That certainly has been the case with orphaned oil wells, which also were built with promises of safety.
From Salon ● Apr. 27, 2026
The orphaned snake slithered down from the trees and she let it rest upon her shoulders like a beautiful, iridescent boa.
From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray
