Legal Definitions - orphan

An orphan is a child whose parents have died. It can also refer to a child who only has one living parent who cannot properly care for them. In some cases, a child can be considered a legal orphan if their parents' parental rights have been terminated and they are available for adoption.

• After the earthquake, many children became orphans when their parents were killed.
• USCIS considers a child with one parent who cannot properly care for them as an orphan.
• If a child's parents' parental rights have been terminated and they are available for adoption, they are considered a legal orphan.

The term "orphan" can also be used in other contexts, such as:

• Orphan diseases: These are diseases that affect fewer than 200,000 individuals or are common but ignored when developing medicine.
• Orphan drugs: These are drugs developed to treat diseases that affect fewer than 200,000 individuals.
• Orphan shares: These are shares that may be equitably attributed to parties that are insolvent or defunct, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

These examples illustrate how the term "orphan" can be used in different contexts, but they all relate to situations where something or someone is lacking or without support.