Transcription
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
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- [found-ling]
- /ˈfaʊnd lɪŋ/
- /ˈfaʊnd.lɪŋ/
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [found-ling]
- /ˈfaʊnd lɪŋ/
Definitions of foundling word
- noun foundling an infant or small child found abandoned; a child without a known parent or guardian. 1
- noun foundling An infant that has been abandoned by its parents and is discovered and cared for by others. 1
- noun foundling abandoned child 1
- countable noun foundling A foundling is a baby that has been abandoned by its parents, often in a public place, and that has then been found by someone. 0
- noun foundling an abandoned infant whose parents are not known 0
- noun foundling an infant of unknown parents that has been found abandoned 0
Information block about the term
Origin of foundling
First appearance:
before 1250 One of the 11% oldest English words
First recorded in 1250-1300, foundling is from the Middle English word found(e)ling. See found1, -ling1
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Foundling
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
foundling popularity
A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 75% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
This word is included in each student's vocabulary. Most likely there is at least one movie with this word in the title.
foundling usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for foundling
noun foundling
- castaway — A castaway is a person who has managed to swim or float to a lonely island or shore after their boat has sunk.
- waif — a person, especially a child, who has no home or friends.
- orphan — a child who has lost both parents through death, or, less commonly, one parent.
- stray — to deviate from the direct course, leave the proper place, or go beyond the proper limits, especially without a fixed course or purpose; ramble: to stray from the main road.
- ragamuffin — a ragged, disreputable person; tatterdemalion.
Top questions with foundling
- in what year was the foundling hospital built?
- what is a foundling?
- what is a foundling child?
- what is a foundling home?
- what does foundling mean?
- what is a foundling hospital?
See also
Matching words
- Words starting with f
- Words starting with fo
- Words starting with fou
- Words starting with foun
- Words starting with found
- Words starting with foundl
- Words starting with foundli
- Words starting with foundlin
- Words starting with foundling