Meaning & Definition of word "Stepchild"
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Stepchild
/ˈstɛpˌtʃaɪld/
noun:
- 1. A child of one's spouse by a previous marriage or relationship.
- Example: After their marriage, she embraced her role as a loving stepchild to her new parents.
- 2. A son or daughter of a stepparent.
- Example: He often felt like a stepchild when compared to his stepparents' biological children.
- 3. Figuratively, something that is considered secondary or less valued compared to something else.
- Example: The project was treated like a stepchild in the budget discussions, receiving hardly any funding.
Etymology
Derived from 'step' + 'child', where 'step' refers to a relationship created by a marriage when one partner has children from a prior relationship.
Common Phrases and Expressions
stepsibling:
A sibling who is the child of one's stepparent.
blended family:
A family that includes children from previous relationships.
step-parenting:
The act of raising a stepchild.
Related Words
stepparent:
A parent who is not a biological parent of a child due to marriage.
half-sibling:
A sibling with whom one shares one biological parent.
Slang Meanings of stepchild
Meaning: Stepchild syndrome
Example Sentence: He feels like a victim of stepchild syndrome, always overlooked in family matters.
Meaning: The stepchild treatment
Example Sentence: I feel like I get the stepchild treatment when it comes to family vacations.