foundling
Discovered deserted child
A foundling is an abandoned infant discovered and cared for by others.
The word carries a literary or historical flavor, evoking orphanages and fairy tales: The foundling was left on the church steps.
Unlike orphan, which implies dead parents, foundling emphasizes the mystery of unknown origins—a child found rather than born into a known family.
Abandoned, neglected child
- urchinNeglected street child
- helplessUnable to act independently
- innocentFree from moral wrong
- defenselessWithout means to resist
pitiable · alone · destitute · forlorn · neglected · lost · outcast · homeless
Very young child
- newbornInfant just delivered
- infantVery young child
- neonateInfant under 28 days
- cradleRocking bed for infants
swaddling · basket · bundle · babe · wrapped · helpless · tiny · wailing
Encourage development of
- adoptionLegal family formation
- guardianshipLegal care of another
- wardProtected person; division
- custodyProtective care or control
nurture · protection · shelter · upbringing · orphanage · institution · wet nurse · caretaker
Left behind completely
- forsakenCompletely abandoned or discarded
- desertedLeft behind, uninhabited
- discardedGotten rid of
- unwantedNot wished for
relinquished · surrendered · castoff · left · rejected · disowned · jettisoned · doorstep
- MosesHebrew prophet, liberator
- RomulusMythical founder of Rome
- changelingSubstituted fairy child
- bildungsromanFiction of psychological maturation
Heathcliff · Dickensian · Victorian · tale · narrative · mystery · revelation · fortune
waif
Abandoned, neglected child
defenseless · pitiable · alone · destitute · forlorn · neglected · lost · outcast · homeless · unwanted
baby
Very young child
cradle · swaddling · basket · bundle · babe · wrapped · helpless · tiny · wailing · discovered
foster
Encourage development of
- adoptionLegal family formation
- guardianshipLegal care of another
- wardProtected person; division
custody · nurture · protection · shelter · upbringing · orphanage · institution · wet nurse · caretaker · benefactor
abandoned
Left behind completely
unwanted · relinquished · surrendered · castoff · left · rejected · disowned · jettisoned · doorstep · exposed
Oliver Twist
- MosesHebrew prophet, liberator
- RomulusMythical founder of Rome
- changelingSubstituted fairy child
Heathcliff · bildungsroman · Dickensian · Victorian · tale · narrative · mystery · revelation · fortune · rags to riches
unknown
Not yet discovered
- namelessWithout any designation
- mysteriousBeyond easy comprehension
- originStarting point or source
parentage · birthright · heritage · lineage · ancestry · discovery · reunion · search · records · sealed
- family lossorphan, motherless, fatherless, parentless, abandonment
- orphanagesorphanage, orphan, waif, wards, abandoned child
- street childrenurchin, waif, gamin, guttersnipe, ragamuffin
- unnamed peopleJohn Doe, Jane Doe, anonymous author, unidentified body, stranger
- MandalorianBoba Fett, Baby Yoda, armor, helmet, creed
- abandoned childrenorphan, waif, neglected child, street child, abandonment
foundlingheir
One who receives legacy
legitimate child · natural child · scion · blood relation · firstborn
foundlinglegitimate heir
Lawfully entitled inheritor
heir apparent · crown prince · firstborn · scion · blue blood
foundlingheir
One who receives legacy
scion · adopted child · ward · foster child · family member
- foundling homeShelter for abandoned children