stepchild
English edit
Etymology edit
From Middle English stepchild, stepchyld, from Old English stēopċild (“stepchild”), equivalent to step- + child. Compare Dutch stiefkind (“stepchild”), German Stiefkind (“stepchild”), Swedish styvbarn (“stepchild”).
Pronunciation edit
- Hyphenation: step‧child
Noun edit
stepchild (plural stepchildren)
- The child of one's spouse but not one's own.
- (obsolete) A bereaved child; one who has lost father or mother.
Synonyms edit
- (child of one's spouse but not one's own): stepbairn (Britain dialectal, chiefly Scotland), stepkid (informal), step (colloquial)
- (bereaved child): orphan
Antonyms edit
Hyponyms edit
- stepdaughter
- stepson
- stepteen
- See also Thesaurus:relative
Derived terms edit
Translations edit
the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
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Translations to be checked
See also edit
Middle English edit
Alternative forms edit
Etymology edit
From Old English stēopċild (“stepchild”); equivalent to step- + child.
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
stepchild (plural stepchildren or stepchildre)
Descendants edit
- English: stepchild
References edit
- “step-chīld, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.