1. a child of one’s spouse from a previous relationship
2. something that receives little attention or care compared to other things
Usage: figurative

Examples

• She loves her stepchild as much as her biological children.
• When his father remarried, he gained two stepchildren.
• The new stepchild felt nervous about meeting her stepfather’s family.
• The arts program has become the stepchild of the school district.
• Environmental concerns are often treated as the stepchild of economic policy.
• The stepchild struggled to find her place in the blended family.