Orphan

• POS: Noun, Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: or=phan

CIDE DICTIONARY

Orphan, n. [L. orphanus, Gr. , akin to L. orbus. Cf. Orb a blank window.].

 A child bereaved of both father and mother; sometimes, also, a child who has but one parent living.  [1913 Webster]

Orphans' court (Law), a court in some of the States of the Union, having jurisdiction over the estates and persons of orphans or other wards. Bouvier.

Orphan, a. 

 Bereaved of parents, or (sometimes) of one parent.  [1913 Webster]

Orphan, v. t. 

 To cause to become an orphan; to deprive of parents.  Young.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Orphan, n. & v.
--n. (often attrib.)
1 a child bereaved of a parent or usu. both parents.
2 a person bereft of previous protection, advantages, etc.
--v.tr. bereave (a child) of its parents or a parent.

Derivative

orphanhood n. orphanize v.tr. (also -ise).

Etymology

ME f. LL orphanus f. Gk orphanos bereaved

DEVIL DICTIONARY

Orphan

n. A living person whom death has deprived of the power of filial ingratitude -- a privation appealing with a particular eloquence to all that is sympathetic in human nature. When young the orphan is commonly sent to an asylum, where by careful cultivation of its rudimentary sense of locality it is taught to know its place. It is then instructed in the arts of dependence and servitude and eventually turned loose to prey upon the world as a bootblack or scullery maid.

THESAURUS

Orphan

abandoned, alone, bereave, cast-off, castaway, castoff, derelict, discard, disregarded, dogie, flotsam, flotsam and jetsam, forsaken, foundling, heir, ignored, jetsam, junk, lagan, leave, leave behind, lost, neglected, orphaned, parentless, refuse, reject, relict, rubbish, slighted, solitary, successor, survivor, trash, waif, waifs and strays, wastrel, widow, widower

ROGET THESAURUS

Orphan

Infant

N infant, babe, baby, babe in arms, nurseling, suckling, yearling, weanling, papoose, bambino, kid, vagitus, child, bairn, little one, brat, chit, pickaninny, urchin, bantling, bratling, elf, youth, boy, lad, stripling, youngster, youngun, younker, callant, whipster, whippersnapper, whiffet, schoolboy, hobbledehoy, hopeful, cadet, minor, master, scion, sap, seedling, tendril, olive branch, nestling, chicken, larva, chrysalis, tadpole, whelp, cub, pullet, fry, callow, codlin, codling, foetus, calf, colt, pup, foal, kitten, lamb, lambkin, aurelia, caterpillar, cocoon, nymph, nympha, orphan, pupa, staddle, girl, lass, lassie, wench, miss, damsel, demoiselle, maid, maiden, virgin, hoyden, infantine, infantile, puerile, boyish, girlish, childish, babyish, kittenish, baby, newborn, unfledged, new-fledged, callow, in the cradle, in swaddling clothes, in long clothes, in arms, in leading strings, at the breast, in one's teens.