nourishing

[nur-i-shing, nuhr-]

adjective

1. promoting or sustaining life, growth, or strength.

   a nourishing diet.

Other Word Forms

• nourishingly adverb
• nonnourishing adjective
• overnourishingly adverb
• self-nourishing adjective
• unnourishing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of nourishing¹

1350–1400; Middle English (gerund); nourish, -ing ²

Example Sentences

It’s about nourishing your spirit, taking care of your body, honoring your ancestors, and staying in balance.

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In the Sierra Nevada, the snow that blankets the rugged landscape each winter melts and gushes in meadows, streams and rivers, nourishing alpine ecosystems and filling reservoirs.

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Her statement concluded: “In keeping it near, you keep his spirit alive — nourishing you with the peace, love, joy and light that embodied Malcolm-Jamal Warner.”

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Some relationships do redemptively transform for the better and evolve into a much more nourishing and aligned version of however they existed before.

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Dug was blown dry and finished off with a hotel-grade, organic cotton towel, rubbed with nourishing paw-balm and spritzed with “show dog” scent cologne.

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Related Words

• wholesome 

When To Use

What does nourishing mean?

Nourishing is an adjective that describes things that nourish—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. Nourishing food is filled with nutrients that help us to grow and stay healthy. A more common word to describe such food is nutritious.However, nourishing can be used in many other contexts, including those that don’t involve food, as in a nourishing atmosphere for students. Example: As a mother, it’s my job to provide my kids with things that are physically, mentally, and emotionally nourishing.