1. A parent whose child has died. Unlike ‘widow’ (spouse) or ‘orphan’ (child), English has no word for this loss. ‘Parorphan’ fills the gap: a parent orphaned of their child.
2. By extension, a parent whose child is alive but permanently estranged, absent, or lost to them in life.
2. By extension, a parent whose child is alive but permanently estranged, absent, or lost to them in life.
• After her son’s accident, she became a parorphan.
• He calls himself a parorphan — his daughter still walks the earth, but not with him.
Origin: From parens (Latin, “parent”) + orphanós (Greek, “bereft”). Coined 2025.
• He calls himself a parorphan — his daughter still walks the earth, but not with him.
Origin: From parens (Latin, “parent”) + orphanós (Greek, “bereft”). Coined 2025.
by Shlomo Toren August 21, 2025
Get the Parorphanmug.