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nurture - 5 dictionary results

nur⋅ture

  [nur-cher] verb, -tured, -tur⋅ing, noun
Use nurture in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
1. to feed and protect: to nurture one's offspring.
2. to support and encourage, as during the period of training or development; foster: to nurture promising musicians.
3. to bring up; train; educate.
–noun
4. rearing, upbringing, training, education, or the like.
5. development: the nurture of young artists.
6. something that nourishes; nourishment; food.
Origin:
1300–50; (n.) ME norture < MF, var. of nourriture < LL nūtrītūra a nourishing, equiv. to L nūtrīt(us) (ptp. of nūtrīre to feed, nourish ) + -ūra -ure; (v.) deriv. of the n.

Related forms:
nur⋅tur⋅a⋅ble, adjective
nur⋅ture⋅less, adjective
nur⋅tur⋅er, noun

Synonyms:
1, 3. See nurse.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To nurture
nur·ture   (nûr'chər)   
n.  
  1. Something that nourishes; sustenance.
  2. The act of bringing up.
  3. Biology The sum of environmental influences and conditions acting on an organism.
tr.v.   nur·tured, nur·tur·ing, nur·tures
  1. To nourish; feed.
  2. To educate; train.
  3. To help grow or develop; cultivate: nurture a student's talent.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Late Latin nūtrītūra, act of suckling, from Latin nūtrītus, past participle of nūtrīre, to suckle; see (s)nāu- in Indo-European roots.]
nur'tur·er n.
Synonyms: These verbs mean to promote and sustain the growth and development of: nurturing hopes; cultivating tolerance; foster friendly relations; nursed the fledgling business.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Nurture

Nur"ture\, n. [OE. norture, noriture, OF. norriture, norreture, F. nourriture, fr. L. nutritura a nursing, suckling. See Nourish.]

1. The act of nourishing or nursing; thender care; education; training.

A man neither by nature nor by nurture wise. --Milton.

2. That which nourishes; food; diet. --Spenser.

Nurture

Nur"ture\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Nurtured; p. pr. & vb. n. Nurturing.]

1. To feed; to nourish.

2. To educate; to bring or train up.

He was nurtured where he had been born. --Sir H. Wotton.

Syn: To nourish; nurse; cherish; bring up; educate; tend.

Usage: To Nurture, Nourish, Cherish. Nourish denotes to supply with food, or cause to grow; as, to nourish a plant, to nourish rebellion. To nurture is to train up with a fostering care, like that of a mother; as, to nurture into strength; to nurture in sound principles. To cherish is to hold and treat as dear; as, to cherish hopes or affections.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : nurture
Spanish: criar, educar,
German: aufziehen,
Japanese: 養育する
More Translations »

nurture 
c.1330 (n.), "breeding, upbringing," from O.Fr. nourriture "nourishment," from L.L. nutritia (see nursery). The verb meaning "to feed or nourish" is attested from c.1430.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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