foster child
Americannoun
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a child raised by someone who is not their biological or adoptive parent.
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a needy child, such as one living in an impoverished country, supported or aided by contribution to a specific charity.
noun
Etymology
Origin of foster child
1150–1200; Middle English fostercild
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
When Allan's foster child arrived, he was "scared, very unsure - not knowing how long it's going to last".
From BBC ● Apr. 5, 2025
A former foster child who met his wife when he was 19, Major Haley has largely orbited her ambitions since.
From New York Times ● Feb. 4, 2024
As a result of the past incidents, the agency now requires at least two caseworkers for every foster child in hotels, as well as security guards nearby, he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 28, 2023
The state pays Amerigroup a fixed amount per foster child to provide coverage and hold down costs.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 30, 2023
She slept alongside another foster child, who wet the bed, and every morning she chose her clothes from a box of hand-me-downs.
From "Class Matters" by The New York Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
