orphan
noun
a child who has lost both parents through death, or, less commonly, one parent.
orphans
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pluralof orphan.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
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present tense formof orphan (3rd person singular).present tense
Used to describe things happening now or regularly.
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.
Harry then spent a sabbatical year in Australia and Africa, caring for orphans in Lesotho, where he founded a charity in Diana's memory.
From Barron's ● Aug. 23, 2026
And he puts his money where his mouth is, with the Mohamed Salah Charity Foundation, in Nagrig, helping orphans, divorced and widowed women, the poor and sick.
From BBC ● May 22, 2026
Being raised by another sea otter rather than a human gives Sunny — like other orphans — the best chance of learning essential skills, he added.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 29, 2026
Later, alone and faced with the choice of a losing battle against seven brigands or abandoning a group of frightened orphans to their fate, Brienne decides that she has “no chance, and no choice.”
From Salon ● Feb. 25, 2026
“I was thinking that we’re both orphans, you and me.”
From "Shouting at the Rain" by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
