Quick Answer: A parent is either the progenitor of an offspring, or in humans, it can refer to a caregiver or legal guardian, generally called an adoptive parent or step-parent. Parents are first-degree relatives and share 50% of their genes. A female can also become a parent through surrogacy. Some parents may be adoptive parents, who nurture and raise an offspring, but are not related to the child. Orphans without adoptive parents can be raised by their grandparents or other family members. A parent can also be elaborated as an ancestor removed one generation. With recent advances in medicine, it is possible to have more than two biological parents. Examples of third biological parents include instances involving surrogacy or a third person who has provided DNA samples during an assisted reproductive procedure that has altered the recipients' genetic material. The most common types of parents are mothers, fathers, step-parents, and grandparents.