1. an infant or young child who has been abandoned by their parents and found and cared for by others

Examples

• The foundling was discovered on the church steps early one morning.
• She grew up never knowing her birth parents, having been a foundling raised by the nuns.
• The orphanage specialized in caring for foundlings and other abandoned children.
• Historical records show that foundlings were often left at hospitals or religious institutions.
• The novel tells the story of a foundling who searches for his true identity.
• Many foundlings in the 18th century were given surnames based on where they were found.