define orphan
Orphans by Thomas Kennington. An orphan (from the Greek Î¿ÏÏÎ±Î½ÏÏ orfanÃ³s) is a child whose parents are dead or have abandoned them permanently. In common usage, only a child who has lost both parents due to death is called an orphan. When referring to animals, only the mother's condition is usually relevant. If she has gone, the offspring is an orphan, regardless of the father's condition.