Meanings
plural stepchildren · alternative step-child
- The child of one's spouse from a previous relationship.
Calculating the growth in stepfamilies isn’t simple, but a demographic analysis published last year estimated that about 16 percent of Americans over age 70 have at least one stepchild. […] Overall, stepchildren provide less care to older adults
2024 August 3, Paula Span, “When Elder Care Is All in the Stepfamily”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 29 Aug 20241 more example
On Monday, Vice President Kamala Harris appeared on “The Drew Barrymore Show,” and in a lighthearted moment, explained — as she did during the last presidential election cycle — that in her blended family, her stepchildren affectionately call her Momala.
2024 May 1, Charles M. Blow, “Kamala Harris Isn’t Americans’ ‘Momala.’ She’s Our Vice President.”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 03 May 2024
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA bereaved child; one who has lost father or mother.
Origin
- Old Englishstēopċild“stepchild”
- Middle Englishstepchild
- Englishstepchild
From Middle English stepchild, stepchyld, from Old English stēopċild (“stepchild”), equivalent to step- + child. Compare Dutch stiefkind (“stepchild”), German Stiefkind (“stepchild”), Swedish styvbarn (“stepchild”).
More words from Middle English, Old English
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian дове́дено дете́, зава́рено дете́
- дове́дено дете́ (dovédeno deté)the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
- зава́рено дете́ (zaváreno deté)the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Catalan fillastre, fillastra
- fillastrethe child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
- fillastrathe child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Danish stedbarn
- stedbarnthe child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Finnish lapsipuoli
- lapsipuolithe child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
French bel-enfant, beau-fils
- bel-enfantthe child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
- beau-filsthe child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
- belle-fille (stepdaughter)the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
- fillâtrethe child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
German Stiefkind
- Stiefkindthe child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Greek θετό τέκνο, πρόγονος
- θετό τέκνο (thetó tékno)the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
- πρόγονος (prógonos)the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Hungarian mostohagyerek, mostohagyermek
- mostohagyerekthe child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
- mostohagyermekthe child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Icelandic stjúpbarn
- stjúpbarnthe child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Indonesian anak tiri
- anak tirithe child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Italian stepchild, configlio m~configlia
- stepchildthe child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
- configlio m~configliathe child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
- figliastro m~figliastrathe child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
- privigno m~privignathe child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Japanese 継子, 連れ子
- 継子the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
- 連れ子the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Latin prīvignus, prīvigna
- prīvignusthe child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
- prīvignathe child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Polish pasierb, pasierbica
- pasierbthe child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
- pasierbicathe child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Portuguese enteado
- enteadothe child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Russian па́сынок, па́дчерица
- па́сынок (pásynok)the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
- па́дчерица (pádčerica)the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
- приёмная дочь (prijómnaja dočʹ)the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
- приёмный сын (prijómnyj syn)the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Scottish Gaelic dalta
- daltathe child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Spanish hijastro, hijastra
- hijastrothe child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
- hijastrathe child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Swedish styvbarn, plastbarn
- styvbarnthe child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
- plastbarnthe child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
- bonusbarnthe child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Tagalog anak na pangaman
- anak na pangamanthe child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Turkish üvey çocuk, üvey evlat
- üvey çocukthe child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
- üvey evlatthe child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Cite this entry
stepchild. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stepchild
“stepchild.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stepchild. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “stepchild,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stepchild.
Source: stepchild on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.