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# orphan

noun (an orphan, orphans); verb (orphan, orphans, orphaned, orphaning — usually passive)

«orphan» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. An orphan is a child whose parents have both died. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/orphan/#m1)
2. To be orphaned is to become an orphan. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/orphan/#m2)
3. An orphan animal has lost its mother. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/orphan/#m3)
4. (printing, computing) An orphan is a single line or word left alone at the top or bottom of a page. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/orphan/#m4)

### In the lessons

In stories: many famous characters are orphans, such as Harry Potter, Anne of Green Gables and Oliver Twist. In ethics and church life: caring for orphans. In nature: orphaned animals are raised in rescue centres.

### Examples

- Anne Shirley was an orphan who went to live on a farm. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/orphan/#x1)
- The orphan was looked after by her aunt. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/orphan/#x2)
- Harry Potter was orphaned as a baby. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/orphan/#x3)
- The zoo is raising an orphaned baby elephant. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/orphan/#x4)
- The Bible tells believers to care for orphans and widows. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/orphan/#x5)
- An orphanage was once a home for orphans. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/orphan/#x6)

### Note

Starts with a vowel sound: «an orphan». Place: orphanage. Today children without parents usually live with relatives or foster families, not in orphanages. Said OR-fun.

## In Jewish tradition

In the Tanakh orphans are the fatherless, who are weak and need protection. In Lamentations Israel mourns as orphans after the fall of Jerusalem.

**Interpretation.** The Torah commands care for the orphan, and the rabbis taught that God is "father of orphans." Wronging an orphan is counted a serious sin.

### Examples

- We are become orphans and fatherless, our mothers are as widows. (Writings LAM.5.3, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/O/orphan/#x1)

### Note

Starts with a vowel sound: «an orphan». Place: orphanage. Today children without parents usually live with relatives or foster families, not in orphanages. Said OR-fun.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «orphan» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/orphan/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«orphan» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/orphan.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «orphan» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/O/orphan/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«orphan» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/orphan.html) on Mova free.