Orphan vs. Waif: What's the Difference?
Edited by Sumera Saeed || By Sawaira Riaz || Updated on September 29, 2023
An orphan is a child whose parents are deceased or have abandoned them, while a waif is generally anyone, often a child, who is homeless or neglected, but not necessarily parentless.
Key Differences
An orphan is specifically a child who has lost both parents through death, or less commonly, abandonment. The term is often used in legal contexts to describe the status of a minor who needs to be placed under guardianship. A waif, on the other hand, can be a child or even an adult who is homeless, neglected, or has no home or friends, but may still have living parents.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 18, 2023
The term "orphan" is often seen as a more formal term, frequently used in legal or official documents to signify a child who has lost both parents and is in need of guardianship. "Waif" carries more romantic or poetic connotations, often used in literature or everyday language to depict a forlorn or abandoned person without specifying the absence of parents.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 18, 2023
An orphan may or may not be homeless or neglected. There are institutional structures, like orphanages, designed to care for orphans. A waif, conversely, implies not just parentlessness but also homelessness or neglect, often wandering and fending for oneself.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 18, 2023
In summary, while both terms could describe a child without a stable home, "orphan" focuses on the absence of parents specifically, often with legal implications. "Waif" is a broader term that can imply a range of difficult living conditions, including but not limited to, being an orphan.
Sara Rehman
Sep 18, 2023
Comparison Chart
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Parent Status
Parents are deceased or have abandoned them
Parents may be alive but not present
Janet White
Sep 18, 2023
Orphan and Waif Definitions
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Waif
In literature, often a romantic or poetic figure
The novel depicted her as a waif in a cruel world.
Aimie Carlson
Sep 18, 2023
Orphan
Used in a broader sense for anyone who feels alone or abandoned
He felt like an orphan in the big city.
Sara Rehman
Sep 18, 2023
Waif
A very thin or undernourished person
The waif-like model walked down the runway.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 18, 2023
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Orphan
In technology, a term for unlinked or abandoned data
The software left orphan files on the computer.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 18, 2023
Orphan
In typography, the first line of a paragraph left alone at the bottom of a page
The book was poorly formatted with many orphans.
Aimie Carlson
Sep 18, 2023
Orphan
A child who has been deprived of parental care and has not been adopted.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 30, 2023
Orphan
A young animal that has been prematurely separated from its parents or its mother.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 30, 2023
Orphan
One that lacks support, supervision, or care
A lack of corporate interest has made the subsidiary an orphan.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 30, 2023
Orphan
A technology or product that has not been developed or marketed, especially on account of being commercially unprofitable.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 30, 2023
Waif
Often in the form waif and stray, waifs and strays: an article of movable property found of which the owner is not known, such as goods washed up on a beach or thrown away by an absconding thief; such items belong to the Crown, which may grant the right of ownership to them to a lord of a manor.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 30, 2023
Orphan
(Printing) A very short line of type at the bottom of a paragraph, column, or page.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 30, 2023
Waif
Something found, especially if without an owner; something which comes along, as it were, by chance.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 30, 2023
Waif
A person (especially a child) who is homeless and without means of support; also, a person excluded from society; an outcast.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 30, 2023
Waif
(by extension) A very thin person.
Thesaurus:thin person
Thesaurus:fat person
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 30, 2023
Waif
A plant introduced in a place outside its native range but is not persistently naturalized.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 30, 2023
Orphan
A person, especially a minor, both or (rarely) one of whose parents have died.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 30, 2023
Orphan
A person, especially a minor, whose parents have permanently abandoned them.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 30, 2023
Waif
Goods found of which the owner is not known; originally, such goods as a pursued thief threw away to prevent being apprehended, which belonged to the king unless the owner made pursuit of the felon, took him, and brought him to justice.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 30, 2023
Orphan
(figuratively) Anything that is unsupported, as by its source, provider or caretaker, by reason of the supporter's demise or decision to abandon.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 30, 2023
Waif
Hence, anything found, or without an owner; that which comes along, as it were, by chance.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 30, 2023
Orphan
(typography) A single line of type, beginning a paragraph, at the bottom of a column or page.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 30, 2023
Waif
A wanderer; a castaway; a stray; a homeless child.
A waifDesirous to return, and not received.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 30, 2023
Waif
A homeless child especially one forsaken or orphaned;
Street children beg or steal in order to survive
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 30, 2023
Waif
A homeless or neglected person
The waif was found wandering the streets.
Aimie Carlson
Sep 18, 2023
Orphan
Remaining after the removal of some form of support.
With its government funding curtailed, the gun registry became an orphan program.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 30, 2023
Orphan
(transitive) To deprive of parents used almost exclusively in the passive
What do you do when you come across two orphaned polar bear cubs?
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 30, 2023
Orphan
To make unavailable, as by removing the last remaining pointer or reference to.
When you removed that image tag, you orphaned the resized icon.
Removing categories orphans pages from the main category tree.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 30, 2023
Orphan
A child bereaved of both father and mother; sometimes, also, a child who has but one parent living.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 30, 2023
Orphan
The first line of a paragraph that is set as the last line of a page or column
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 30, 2023
FAQs
Can a waif have parents?
Yes, a waif can have living parents but is generally neglected or homeless.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 18, 2023
Is the term 'orphan' legal?
Yes, 'orphan' is often used in legal contexts to describe a child's status.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 18, 2023
Does waif imply homelessness?
Generally, yes, a waif is often homeless or neglected.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 18, 2023
Is the term 'waif' legal?
No, 'waif' is seldom used in legal documents and has a more poetic or literary connotation.
Janet White
Sep 18, 2023
Can objects be waifs?
Yes, the term waif can apply to objects that are found and unclaimed.
Aimie Carlson
Sep 18, 2023
What does orphan mean?
An orphan is a child whose parents have died or abandoned them.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 18, 2023
Is every orphan a waif?
No, an orphan may have a guardian or be in an institution and not be neglected or homeless.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 18, 2023
What does waif mean?
A waif is generally anyone, often a child, who is homeless or neglected.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 18, 2023
Does orphan imply homelessness?
No, an orphan may be under institutional or guardian care.
Harlon Moss
Sep 18, 2023
Which term is broader, orphan or waif?
Waif is broader as it can refer to anyone neglected or homeless, regardless of parentage.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 18, 2023
Can animals be orphans?
Yes, in common parlance, young animals without parents can be called orphans.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 18, 2023
Is the term 'waif' used in fashion?
Yes, "waif" has been used to describe a very thin or undernourished model.
Janet White
Sep 18, 2023
Can an adult be an orphan?
Technically, the term "orphan" refers to a minor, but it can be used colloquially for adults who lost their parents.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 18, 2023
Can an adult be a waif?
Yes, adults can be described as waifs, especially if they are homeless or neglected.
Janet White
Sep 18, 2023
Is the term 'orphan' used in technology?
Yes, "orphan" can refer to unlinked or abandoned data or files.
Sara Rehman
Sep 18, 2023
About Author
Written by
Sawaira RiazSawaira is a dedicated content editor at difference.wiki, where she meticulously refines articles to ensure clarity and accuracy. With a keen eye for detail, she upholds the site's commitment to delivering insightful and precise content.
Edited by
Sumera SaeedSumera is an experienced content writer and editor with a niche in comparative analysis. At Diffeence Wiki, she crafts clear and unbiased comparisons to guide readers in making informed decisions. With a dedication to thorough research and quality, Sumera's work stands out in the digital realm. Off the clock, she enjoys reading and exploring diverse cultures.
