Orphan

Definitions

1. A person, especially a minor, both or (rarely) one of whose parents have died.
2. A person, especially a minor, whose parents have permanently abandoned them.
3. A young animal with no mother.
4. Anything that is unsupported, as by its source, provider or caretaker, by reason of the supporter's demise or decision to abandon.
   figuratively
5. A single line of type, beginning a paragraph, at the bottom of a column or page.
6. Any unreferenced object.

Equivalents

Examples

“Rudolf was the bold, bad Baron of traditional melodrama. Irene was young, as pretty as a picture, fresh from a music academy in England. He was the scion of an ancient noble family; she an orphan without money or friends.”

“An orphan isn't harmful in a language that has garbage collection, such as Java. However, reducing the number⟳ of orphans can be expected to improve⟳ code performance.”

CEFR level