fosterage

American  

[faw-ster-ij, fos-ter-] / ˈfɔ stər ɪdʒ, ˈfɒs tər- /

noun

1. the act of fostering or rearing another's child as one's own.

2. the condition of being a foster child.

3. an act of promoting or encouraging.

   The board will undertake the fosterage of our new project.

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fosterage British  

/ ˈfɒstərɪdʒ /

noun

1. the act of caring for or bringing up a foster child

2. the condition or state of being a foster child

3. the act of encouraging or promoting

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Etymology

Origin of fosterage

First recorded in 1605–15; foster + -age

Example Sentences

The terms of fosterage seem to vary in different islands. 

From Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland by Johnson, Samuel

O my son, for the sake of my fosterage of thee and my service to thee, spare this young lady, for indeed she has done nothing deserving of death.

From The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Volume I by Payne, John

However, by the Celtic custom of fosterage the infant is intrusted to Sir Ector as his dalt, or foster-child, and Uther falls in battle.

From Alfred Tennyson by Lang, Andrew

When Mardas saw Gharib his reason fled, and he said to him, "O my son, I am under thy protection: so deliver me in right of my fosterage of thee!"

From The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 06 by Burton, Richard Francis, Sir

Conary would not condemn them to death, as the people begged him to do, but spared them for the sake of his kinship in fosterage.

From Myths & Legends of the Celtic Race by Rolleston, T. W. (Thomas William)