foundling
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English
Etymology
From Middle English foundlyng, fondeyng, variants of Middle English fyndling, fyndlyng, equivalent to found + -ling.
Pronunciation
Audio (Southern England): (file)
Noun
foundling (plural foundlings)
- An abandoned child, left by its parent(s), often a baby left at a convent or similar safe place.
- foundling hospital
- 1776, Adam Smith, An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations:
- In foundling hospitals, and among the children brought up by parish charities, the mortality is still greater than among those of the common people.
- 1794, Thomas Paine, The Age of Reason (Part I):
- Moses was a foundling; Jesus Christ was born in a stable; and Mahomet was a mule driver.
- 1960 June 13, Walt Kelly, “The Confoundling”, in Pogo, comic strip, published 1974, →ISBN, page 342:
- [Owl:] YOU HEARD THAT FREMOUNT IS REALLY A ANT LION, MR. CONGERSMAN?
[Frog:] IT'S A SAD BLOW TO THE PARTY JUST AT A TIME WHEN US OWLS MUST STICK TOGETHER. WORST PART IS, MRS. WEEVIL SAYS HER SISTER-AN'-LAW FOUND THE CANDIDATE IN A BOX OF POPCORN.
[Owl:] AIN'T IT WORSE TO BE A CANNIBAL THAN A FOUNDLING?
[Frog:] WE CAN SAY HE'S CHANGED HIS HABITS! BUT A FAMILY TREE LOOKS BAD SPROUTIN' OUT OF POPCORN⋯
Derived terms
Translations
abandoned child, left by its parent
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