barrel child

noun

A child who is abandoned or left behind by their parents who are seeking a better life abroad.

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Meanings

nounbarrel child (plural barrel children)

plural barrel children

  1. A child who is abandoned or left behind by their parents who are seeking a better life abroad.

Origin

From the barrels or containers of items supposedly sent by the parents.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

barrel child. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/barrel%20child

MLA

“barrel child.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/barrel%20child. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “barrel child,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/barrel%20child.

Source: barrel child on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.