What Is an ‘Orphan Block’ and How Is It Handled by the Network?
An orphan block (also called a stale block) is a valid block that is successfully mined but is not included in the main chain because another block was found and propagated across the network faster. It is a temporary fork.
When a node receives an orphan block, it is usually discarded, and the miner who found it loses the block reward, though their transactions are eventually re-mined into the main chain.
Glossar
Valid Block
Confirmation ⎊ A valid block, within a blockchain context, represents a data package cryptographically appended to the chain following consensus protocol stipulations, signifying transaction finality and state updates.
Orphan Block
Genesis ⎊ An orphan block represents a blockchain block validly mined but not incorporated into the main chain due to a network fork or timing discrepancy, creating a temporary divergence in the distributed ledger.