single parent

¹

noun

1. a parent or guardian who brings up a child or children alone, without a partner:

   Being a single parent isn’t easy.

single-parent

²

[ sing-guhl-pair-uhnt, ‐-par-uhnt ]

adjective

1. of or noting a family in which a parent brings up a child or children alone, without a partner: a single-parent household.

   a single-parent family;

   a single-parent household.

single parent

noun

1. Also called (NZ)solo parent
   1. a person who has a dependent child or dependent children and who is widowed, divorced, or unmarried
   2. ( as modifier )

      a single-parent family

Word History and Origins

Origin of single parent¹

First recorded in 1850–60

Origin of single parent²

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

One participant even described herself as being, in a sense, a single parent, saying, "If it has to do with our kids or my household … that is 100% on me."

From Science Daily

Lisa Bancroft was a 27-year-old single parent when she had preventative surgery to remove both her breasts.

From BBC

The present system has been criticised as unfair as some households can claim the payment even if their total income is more than that of a single parent or a family with a sole high earner.

From BBC

But Adelaide has promised her mum, a single parent, that she won’t ask for money while at university.

From BBC

As a teenager, Edim effectively became a single parent not only to her brothers but also to her mother, whose divorce from her second husband sent her into a debilitating depression.

From Los Angeles Times