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foundling

[ found-ling ]
/ ˈfaʊnd lɪŋ /
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See synonyms for foundling on Thesaurus.com
noun
an infant or small child found abandoned; a child without a known parent or guardian.
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Origin of foundling

First recorded in 1250–1300, foundling is from the Middle English word found(e)ling.See found2, -ling1

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH foundling

fondling, foundling

Words nearby foundling

founderous, founders' shares, founder's type, founding father, Founding Fathers, foundling, foundling hospital, found object, found poem, foundress, foundrous
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

Words related to foundling

castaway, waif

British Dictionary definitions for foundling

foundling
/ (ˈfaʊndlɪŋ) /
noun
an abandoned infant whose parents are not known

Word Origin for foundling

C13: foundeling; see find
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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