orphanage

[ awr-fuh-nij ]

noun

1. an institution for the housing and care of orphans.
2. the state of being an orphan; orphanhood.
3. Archaic. orphans collectively.

orphanage

/ ˈɔːfənɪdʒ /

noun

1. an institution for orphans and abandoned children
2. the state of being an orphan

Word History and Origins

Origin of orphanage¹

First recorded in 1530–40; orphan + -age

Example Sentences

Hundreds of deliveries are made by tanker each day, with the water board prioritising schools, orphanages, hospitals, and those most in need.

From BBC

Social stigma around disability had also led to more children with special needs ending up in orphanages.

From BBC

Gladys Johnston was three when she was adopted from an Irish orphanage and brought up in the Scottish Highlands as an only child.

From BBC

Labeled “the devil’s child” for her vitiligo at her orphanage, DePrince found hope in a magazine photo of an American ballerina in pointe shoes.

From Los Angeles Times

She has spoken in the past about how she was seen as a "devil's child" in the orphanage because she suffered from vitiligo, a condition in which patches of skin lose pigmentation.

From BBC

Related Words

• apartment
• cabin
• condo
• condominium
• cottage
• dormitory
• dwelling
• farm
• hospital
• house
• hut
• mansion
• palace
• place
• residence
• resort
• shelter
• trailer