Nearby Words

fostering

[faw-ster, fos-ter] Origin

fos·ter

[faw-ster, fos-ter]
verb (used with object)
1.
to promote the growth or development of; further; encourage: to foster new ideas.
2.
to bring up, raise, or rear, as a foster child.
3.
to care for or cherish.
4.
British. to place (a child) in a foster home.
5.
Obsolete. to feed or nourish.

Origin:
before 1000; Middle English; Old English fōstor nourishment, fōstrian to nourish; cognate with Old Norse fōstr; akin to food

fos·ter·er, noun
fos·ter·ing·ly, adverb
un·fos·tered, adjective
un·fos·ter·ing, adjective


1. favor, forward, advance; foment, instigate. 2. nurse, nourish, sustain, support, maintain. 3. See cherish.


1. discourage.

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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Fostering is always a great word to know.
So is callithumpian. Does it mean:
a gadget; dingus; thingumbob.
a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes.
Collins
World English Dictionary
foster (ˈfɒstə)
 
vb
1.  to promote the growth or development of
2.  to bring up (a child, etc); rear
3.  to cherish (a plan, hope, etc) in one's mind
4.  chiefly (Brit)
 a.  to place (a child) in the care of foster parents
 b.  to bring up under fosterage
 
adj
5.  (in combination) indicating relationship through fostering and not through birth: foster mother; foster child
6.  (in combination) of or involved in the rearing of a child by persons other than his natural or adopted parents: foster home
 
[Old English fōstrian to feed, from fōstorfood]
 
'fosterer
 
n
 
'fostering
 
n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

foster
O.E. *fostrian "to supply with food, nourish, support," from fostor "food, nourishment, bringing up," from P.Gmc. *fostrom, from root *foth-/*fod- (see food). Meaning "to bring up a child with parental care" is from c.1200; that of "to encourage or help grow" is early 13c.
EXPAND
of things; 1560s of feelings, ideas, etc. O.E. also had the adj. meaning "in the same family but not related," in fostorfæder, etc. Related: Fostered; fostering.
COLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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