Background for orphan

orphan

/ˈɔːfən/ /ˈɔɹfən/

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noun

A person, especially a minor, both or (rarely) one of whose parents have died.

Examples :

"After the tragic car accident, the young girl became an orphan and went to live with her grandparents. "

family person human society

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noun

A person, especially a minor, whose parents have permanently abandoned them.

Examples :

"The orphan applied for a scholarship, hoping it would help him pay for school. "

family person human

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noun

A young animal with no mother.

Examples :

"The farmer found a tiny orphan kitten shivering in the barn. "

animal family nature

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noun

Anything that is unsupported, as by its source, provider or caretaker, by reason of the supporter's demise or decision to abandon.

Examples :

"After the company closed, the old software became an orphan, left without updates or support. "

family human society state

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noun

A single line of type, beginning a paragraph, at the bottom of a column or page.

Examples :

"The new paragraph began with an orphan, sitting at the bottom of the page. "

computing writing type style

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noun

Any unreferenced object.

Examples :

"The variable "age" in the computer program was an orphan; it had no value assigned to it. "

computing technology item

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verb

To deprive of parents (used almost exclusively in the passive)

Examples :

"What do you do when you come across two orphaned polar bear cubs?"

family human society suffering

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verb

To make unavailable, as by removing the last remaining pointer or reference to.

Examples :

"Removing categories orphans pages from the main category tree."

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adjective

Deprived of parents (also orphaned).

Examples :

"She is an orphan child."

family person human society

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adjective

(by extension) Remaining after the removal of some form of support.

Examples :

"With its government funding curtailed, the gun registry became an orphan program."

family situation