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foster child

American  
[faw-ster chahyld, fos-ter] / ˈfɔ stər ˈtʃaɪld, ˈfɒs tər /

noun

  1. a child raised by someone who is not their biological or adoptive parent.

  2. a needy child, such as one living in an impoverished country, supported or aided by contribution to a specific charity.

foster child British  

noun

  1. a child looked after temporarily or brought up by people other than its natural or adoptive parents

"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

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.

Monique Lewis has figured out a few tricks to lure her foster child to school.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 18, 2024

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

Her husband said the couple had "never been without a foster child".

From BBC • Jan. 13, 2024

The state pays Amerigroup a fixed amount per foster child to provide coverage and hold down costs.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 30, 2023

Since many of the guests had legislative power to make reforms, I suggested that they find a foster child who needed a permanent home and help make it happen in less than six months.

From "Three Little Words: A Memoir" by Ashley Rhodes-Courter

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.