foundling

UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈfaʊndlɪŋ/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/ˈfaʊndlɪŋ/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(foundling)


WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
found•ling /ˈfaʊndlɪŋ/USA pronunciation   n. [countable]
  1. Sociologyan infant who is found abandoned;
    a child without a known parent or guardian.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
found•ling  (foundling),USA pronunciation n. 
  1. Sociologyan infant or small child found abandoned;
    a child without a known parent or guardian.
  • Middle English found(e)ling. See found1, -ling1 1250–1300

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
foundling /ˈfaʊndlɪŋ/ n
  1. an abandoned infant whose parents are not known
Etymology: 13th Century: foundeling; see find
'foundling' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Synonyms: orphan, waif, more...

🗣️Forum discussions with the word(s) "foundling" in the title:


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