Dictionary

foundling en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Middle English foundlyng, fondeyng, variants of Middle English fyndling, fyndlyng. By surface analysis, found + -ling.

Meanings

1. An abandoned child, left by its parent(s), often a baby left at a convent or similar safe place.
   • Moses was a foundling; Jesus Christ was born in a stable; and Mahomet was a mule driver. 1794, Thomas Paine, The Age of Reason (Part I):
   • foundling hospital
   • In foundling hospitals, and among the children brought up by parish charities, the mortality is still greater than among those of the common people. 1776, Adam Smith, An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations:
   • [Owl:] YOU HEARD THAT FREMOUNT IS REALLY A^([sic]) 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⋯ 1960 June 13, Walt Kelly, “The Confoundling”, in Pogo, comic strip, published 1974, →ISBN, page 342:

Forms

Deriveds

foundlinghood · foundling wheel

Relateds

oblate · changeling

Translations (44)

az tapdıq (abandoned child, left by its parent) · bg подхвърлено дете (abandoned child, left by its parent) · pt enjeitado (abandoned child, left by its parent) · ru подки́дыш (abandoned child, left by its parent) · afb لقيط (abandoned child, left by its parent) · pl znajda (abandoned child, left by its parent) · vi trẻ em bị bỏ rơi (abandoned child, left by its parent) · sh на̀хоче (abandoned child, left by its parent) · es expósito (abandoned child, left by its parent) · ar مَلْقُوط (abandoned child, left by its parent) · sh на̀ход (abandoned child, left by its parent) · sh nahodnik (abandoned child, left by its parent) · uk знaйдa (abandoned child, left by its parent) · sv hittebarn (abandoned child, left by its parent) · pt exposto (abandoned child, left by its parent) · sh nàhoče (abandoned child, left by its parent) · nn finning (abandoned child, left by its parent) · sh nahotkinja (abandoned child, left by its parent) · sh находник (abandoned child, left by its parent) · hy ընկեցիկ (abandoned child, left by its parent) · ota لقیطه (abandoned child, left by its parent) · nn funnebarn (abandoned child, left by its parent) · ota بولنمش چوجق (abandoned child, left by its parent) · gl expósito (abandoned child, left by its parent) · it trovatello (abandoned child, left by its parent) · sh нахоткиња (abandoned child, left by its parent) · ru найдёныш (abandoned child, left by its parent) · nl vondeling (abandoned child, left by its parent) · el έκθετο (abandoned child, left by its parent) · mk најденче (abandoned child, left by its parent) · cs nalezenec (abandoned child, left by its parent) · pt abandonado (abandoned child, left by its parent) · da hittebarn (abandoned child, left by its parent) · fr enfant trouvé (abandoned child, left by its parent) · hu talált gyermek (abandoned child, left by its parent) · cy plentyn cael (abandoned child, left by its parent) · de Findelkind (abandoned child, left by its parent) · sh nàhod (abandoned child, left by its parent) · hu lelenc (abandoned child, left by its parent) · sk nájdenec (abandoned child, left by its parent) · ota متروك چوجق (abandoned child, left by its parent) · ar لَقِيط (abandoned child, left by its parent) · fi löytölapsi (abandoned child, left by its parent) · gl achadizo (abandoned child, left by its parent)