# In need of a word

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-need-of-a-word/626445>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [June 27, 2012, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-need-of-a-word/626445 "2012-06-27T11:32:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Trinary](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trinary/32/3151_2.png) [@Trinary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinary)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2012, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-need-of-a-word/626445/1 "2012-06-27T11:32:58Z")

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Words like ‘widow’ and ‘orphan’ immediately convey the general circumstance of those that fit the labels. This brevity can be convenient in many social situations. So, what about parents of dead children? What’s their word?

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**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2012, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-need-of-a-word/626445/2 "2012-06-27T14:28:54Z")

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We’ve done this before. Hebrew has a word for it.

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**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2012, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-need-of-a-word/626445/3 "2012-06-27T15:14:04Z")

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If the child died while serving the USA in a war: Gold Star.

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**Author:** ![tapu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@tapu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tapu)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2012, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-need-of-a-word/626445/4 "2012-06-27T15:36:15Z")

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The English term is a phrase: “bereaved parent(s)”

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**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2012, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-need-of-a-word/626445/5 "2012-06-27T20:31:29Z")

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[My earlier General Questions thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=588756)

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**Author:** ![Trinary](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trinary/32/3151_2.png) [@Trinary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinary)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2012, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-need-of-a-word/626445/6 "2012-06-27T23:23:30Z")

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Thanks to all for the replies, and to Annie for the link. I appreciate your time.