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.
Hanna Petros Solomon breaks down in tears as she recalls how she and her siblings effectively became orphans 25 years ago when their father was arrested in Eritrea and jailed without trial.
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 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
Opened in 1873, the privately operated detention facility housed petty delinquents and orphans, said Marc Schindler, a professor at Georgetown who leads the project.
From Barron's ● Feb. 27, 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
Well, as alone as one could be in the midst of almost two hundred orphans and semiorphans between the ages of one and seventeen.
From "Dactyl Hill Squad" by Daniel José Older
