orphan

A child whose parents have both died.

• The orphan lived with her aunt.
• They adopted two orphans after the war.
• He became an orphan at the age of six.

Common phrases: young orphan, war orphan, become an orphan

Having lost both parents through death.

• The orphan child needed a home.
• They raised three orphan boys together.
• An orphan girl came to live with her grandmother.

Similar words: orphaned, parentless

Common phrases: orphan child, orphan boy, orphan girl

Left without the support, owner, or organization that previously looked after it.

• The orphan project had no funding.
• Nobody wanted responsibility for the orphan program.
• Several orphan assets remained after the company closed.

Similar words: unsupported, abandoned

Common phrases: orphan project, orphan program, orphan asset

To cause someone to lose their parents through death.

• He was orphaned at six.
• The disease orphaned hundreds of children.
• The orphaned cubs were taken to a rescue center.

How to use it: be orphaned by something (Many children were orphaned by the war.); be orphaned at an age (She was orphaned at ten.)

Common phrases: orphan a child, be orphaned young

To leave computer data without a working link or reference, making it difficult or impossible to access.

• Deleting the link will orphan the file.
• The update orphaned several database records.
• Check that your changes do not orphan any images.

Common phrases: orphan a file, orphan a record