Foundling

usgb/ˈfaʊndlɪŋ/
noun

A baby that has been abandoned and discovered and cared for by others.

The baby was a foundling, left on the steps of the church in a small basket.
Visual representation of "foundling" - A baby that has been abandoned and discovered and cared for by others

Often appears as...

  • foundling hospital
  • foundling wheel
Definition 1 of 1
Visual representation of "foundling"
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Historical Usage

Originally referred to foundlings cared for at charitable institutions during earlier centuries.

Illustration for Historical Usage
The foundling was taken to a home that specifically catered to such children in the 1800s.
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Modern Associations

'Foundling' can evoke emotions of sympathy and a sense of responsibility to help the abandoned.

Illustration for Modern Associations
When they found the foundling, the neighbors quickly gathered clothes and food for the baby.
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Cultural References

Foundlings often appear in literature as characters with mysterious or noble hidden origins.

Illustration for Cultural References
The story unfolds to reveal the foundling is actually the heir to a great fortune.
Visual representation of the word "Foundling"

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