foster
[faw-ster, fos-ter]
- to promote the growth or development of; further; encourage: to foster new ideas.
- to bring up, raise, or rear, as a foster child.
- to care for or cherish.
- British. to place (a child) in a foster home.
- Obsolete. to feed or nourish.
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Origin of foster
before 1000; Middle English; Old English fōstor nourishment, fōstrian to nourish; cognate with Old Norse fōstr; akin to food
Synonyms
See more synonyms for foster on Thesaurus.com1. favor, forward, advance; foment, instigate. 2. nurse, nourish, sustain, support, maintain.
Synonym study
3. See cherish.
Antonyms
1. discourage.
Foster
[faw-ster, fos-ter]
- Stephen (Collins),1826–64, U.S. songwriter.
- William Z(eb·u·lon) [zeb-yuh-luh n] /ˈzɛb yə lən/, 1881–1961, U.S. labor organizer: leader in the Communist Party.
- a male given name.
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Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for foster
Contemporary Examples
A grand jury investigated but found Foster had broken no law.
At any rate, policy can enforce equal rights and foster equal opportunity.
But he shares with Foster Wallace a gift for exactitude, erudition, and moral concern.
Charles D’Ambrosio’s X-Ray Vision Is On Full Display In His New Essay Collection.Steve Almond
November 14, 2014
His non-fiction fills, or helps to fill, the void left by Foster Wallace.
Charles D’Ambrosio’s X-Ray Vision Is On Full Display In His New Essay Collection.Steve Almond
November 14, 2014
During August and September, UNICEF had helped 700 children find a parent or extended family or placed a child in foster care.
Historical Examples
The Foster was bound to Belfast, which port we reached without any accident.
Ned MyersJames Fenimore Cooper
“We'll go over to Mr. Foster's as soon as it is dark,” said Mrs. Dare.
The Dare Boys of 1776Stephen Angus Cox
“Mrs. Foster and the girls will come over often,” said Dick.
The Dare Boys of 1776Stephen Angus Cox
There is much in our country to create and foster this sentiment.
And daring you may foster in your hearts as much as we in ours.
CyropaediaXenophon
foster
- to promote the growth or development of
- to bring up (a child, etc); rear
- to cherish (a plan, hope, etc) in one's mind
- mainly British
- to place (a child) in the care of foster parents
- to bring up under fosterage
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- (in combination) indicating relationship through fostering and not through birthfoster mother; foster child
- (in combination) of or involved in the rearing of a child by persons other than his natural or adopted parentsfoster home
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Word Origin
Old English fōstrian to feed, from fōstor food
Foster
- Jodie . born 1962, US film actress and director: her films include Taxi Driver (1976), The Accused (1988), The Silence of the Lambs (1990), Little Man Tate (1991; also directed), Nell (1995), and Panic Room (2002)
- Norman, Baron. born 1935, British architect. His works include the Willis Faber building (1978) in Ipswich, Stansted Airport, Essex (1991), Chek Lap Kok Airport, Hong Kong (1998), the renovation of the Reichstag, Berlin (1999), and City Hall, London (2002)
- Stephen Collins . 1826–64, US composer of songs such as The Old Folks at Home and Oh Susanna
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for foster
v.
Old English *fostrian "to supply with food, nourish, support," from fostor "food, nourishment, bringing up," from Proto-Germanic *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. of things; 1560s of feelings, ideas, etc. Old English also had the adjective meaning "in the same family but not related," in fostorfæder, etc. Related: Fostered; fostering.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper