noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ˈstɛp.tʃaɪld/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:S T EH1 P CH AY2 L D
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The child of one's spouse from a previous relationship.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A bereaved child; one who has lost father or mother.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
a child of your spouse by a former marriage
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: child, kid
Narrower terms: stepdaughter, stepson
History
Etymology
From Middle English stepchild, stepchyld, from Old English stēopċild (“stepchild”), equivalent to step- + child. Compare Dutch stiefkind (“stepchild”), German Stiefkind (“stepchild”), Swedish styvbarn (“stepchild”).
Across languages
Translations
63 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Albanian:
thjeshtër
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Armenian:
խորթ զավակ
(xortʻ zavak)
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Bulgarian:
дове́дено дете́
(dovédeno deté)
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Bulgarian:
зава́рено дете́
(zaváreno deté)
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Catalan:
fillastre
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Catalan:
fillastra
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Danish:
stedbarn
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Finnish:
lapsipuoli
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
French:
bel-enfant
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
French:
beau-fils
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
French:
belle-fille (stepdaughter)
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
French:
fillâtre
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Georgian:
გერი
(geri)
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Georgian:
არაღვიძლი შვილი
(araɣviʒli švili)
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
German:
Stiefkind
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Greek:
θετό τέκνο
(thetó tékno)
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Greek:
πρόγονος
(prógonos)
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Pontic Greek:
προγόνιν
(progónin)
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Hanunoo:
anak ulong
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Hausa:
agola
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Hungarian:
mostohagyerek
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Hungarian:
mostohagyermek
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Icelandic:
stjúpbarn
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Ido:
stif-filio
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Indonesian:
anak tiri
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Italian:
stepchild
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Italian:
configlio m~configlia
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Italian:
figliastro m~figliastra
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Italian:
privigno m~privigna
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Japanese:
継子
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Japanese:
連れ子
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Javanese:
anak kuwalon
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Laz:
პროღონი
(p̌roğoni)
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Latin:
prīvignus
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Latin:
prīvigna
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Macedonian:
дове́деник
(dovédenik)
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Macedonian:
по́синок
(pósinok)
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Middle English:
stepchild
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Middle English:
stepbarn
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Old English:
stēopċild
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Old English:
stēopbearn
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Plautdietsch:
Steefkjint
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Polish:
pasierb
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Polish:
pasierbica
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Portuguese:
enteado
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Russian:
па́сынок
(pásynok)
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Russian:
па́дчерица
(pádčerica)
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Russian:
приёмная дочь
(prijómnaja dočʹ)
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Russian:
приёмный сын
(prijómnyj syn)
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Scottish Gaelic:
dalta
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Sicilian:
figghiastru
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Spanish:
hijastro
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Spanish:
hijastra
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Swedish:
styvbarn
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Swedish:
plastbarn
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Swedish:
bonusbarn
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Tagalog:
anak na pangaman
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Lower Tanana:
-dena' nelanenh
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Turkish:
üvey çocuk
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Turkish:
üvey evlat
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Volapük:
lucil
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Volapük:
hilucil
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner
Volapük:
jilucil
— the child of one's spouse from his or her previous partner