noun

stepchild

STEP-chyld/ˈsteptʃaɪld/

A spouse's child from a different relationship.

The new husband kneels to greet his stepchild beside the child's mother.

Stepchild: warm blended family scene, brown-skinned mother introduces her school-age child to her new husband; husband kneels kindly to greet child, mother standing with hand on child's shoulder.

Etymology

stepOld Englishrelated by a parent's remarriage

Step- is presumed originally to have suggested loss, and its combination with child once meant an orphan. As the orphanage association faded, stepchild came to mean a spouse's child from another relationship.

In context

Journeys with Jenni23:23

as a stepchild, what do you think you need during this process?

Join Owen on his journey as a stepchild!

More examples

My stepchildren are my wife's children from her first marriage.
He has a close relationship with his adult stepchild.
Both of her stepchildren spend weekends with their other parent.

Forms

stepchild · stepchildren

Similar words

stepson: Specifically a spouse's son from a different relationship.
stepdaughter: Specifically a spouse's daughter from a different relationship.