nourish

[nur-ish, nuhr-]

verb (used with object)

1. to sustain with food or nutriment; supply with what is necessary for life, health, and growth.

2. to cherish, foster, keep alive, etc..

   He had long nourished the dream of living abroad.

3. to strengthen, build up, or promote.

   to nourish discontent among the workers; to nourish the arts in one's community.

   Synonyms: advance, back, aid, help, encourage
   Antonyms: discourage

nourish

/ ˈnʌrɪʃ /

verb

1. to provide with the materials necessary for life and growth

2. to support or encourage (an idea, feeling, etc); foster

   to nourish resentment

Other Word Forms

• nourishable adjective
• nourisher noun
• overnourish verb (used with object)
• renourish verb (used with object)
• self-nourished adjective
• unnourishable adjective
• unnourished adjective
• well-nourished adjective
• nourishing adjective
• nourishingly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of nourish¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English norisshe, from Old French noriss-, long stem of norir, from Latin nūtrīre “to feed”; nurse, -ish ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of nourish¹

C14: from Old French norir, from Latin nūtrīre to feed, care for

Synonym Study

See nurse.

Example Sentences

“Whole Foods Market has never wavered in its purpose: to nourish people and the planet by offering the highest quality natural and organic foods,” he said.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

At least the Shareefs honored this animal by giving thanks, and by turning it into a beautiful, nourishing meal.

Read more on Literature

Like T.J., they should appreciate your effort to nourish and soothe by making a dish that mom or dad used to, only updated and upgraded.

Read more on Salon

Ammonium not only helps these bacteria thrive but also nourishes algae and, by extension, the creatures that depend on them.

Read more on Science Daily

Instead, it’s all used in the Owens Valley, to provide tap water for towns, nourish habitat restoration areas, and spread on the dry bed of Owens Lake to control dust.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• cherish 
• cultivate 
• sustain 
• tend 

When To Use

What does nourish mean?

Nourish means to promote healthy growth—to do or provide what’s needed for someone or something to be healthy and to grow and develop.The word is most commonly used in relation to food. Healthy food nourishes us. Parents try to nourish their children by feeding them healthy foods. Sometimes, food is said to nourish more than the body, as in A warm, home-cooked meal nourishes the body and the spirit. However, nourish can be used in many other contexts, including those that don’t involve food, as in Education nourishes our minds. In the context of the growth and development of things, such as communities and relationships, nourish means to build up or promote, as in This grant is intended to nourish the local arts and culture scene. A more common synonym for this sense of the word is nurture.In all of these senses, nourish is a somewhat formal and perhaps poetic word—it usually means something loftier than feed.Less commonly, nourish can mean to cherish, foster, or keep alive, especially something abstract, like hopes or dreams. This isn’t always something positive—you can nourish a grudge, for example.The word nourished is often used as an adjective, including in terms like well nourished, poorly nourished, undernourished, and malnourished. Things that nourish can be described with the adjective nourishing. The noun nourishment can refer to the act of nourishing or to something that nourishes.Example: As a mother, it’s my job to nourish my kids physically, mentally, and emotionally.