Orphan
/ˈɔːr.fən/noun
A child whose parents are dead or who has been abandoned or otherwise deprived of parental care.
Did you know?Ancient Greek used orphanós not only for a child without parents, but more broadly for anyone deprived of protection, including people left without a guardian or ruler.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₁orbʰós
“Bereft, deprived, or orphaned”
Ancient Greek
Greek
orphanos
“Without parents, bereaved, or deprived of protection”
Classical Latin
Latin
orbus
“Bereft, childless, or deprived of a parent”
Old French
Old French
orphelin
“An orphan; a child without parents”
12th Century
Middle English
orphelin
“An orphan”
Modern English
English
orphan
“A child without living or present parents, or someone deprived of support”