fosterage

American  

[faw-ster-ij, fos-ter-] / ˈfɔ stər ɪdʒ, ˈfɒs tər- /

noun

1. the act of fostering or rearing another's child as one's own.

2. the condition of being a foster child.

3. an act of promoting or encouraging.

   The board will undertake the fosterage of our new project.

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fosterage British  

/ ˈfɒstərɪdʒ /

noun

1. the act of caring for or bringing up a foster child

2. the condition or state of being a foster child

3. the act of encouraging or promoting

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Etymology

Origin of fosterage

First recorded in 1605–15; foster + -age

Example Sentences

There was fosterage for affection, for payment and for a literary education.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Slice 4 "Bradford, William" to "Brequigny, Louis" by Various

So he went before the King and said, "If thou art willing, Cormac, I would gladly have one of thy sons in fosterage."

From The High Deeds of Finn and other Bardic Romances of Ancient Ireland by Reid, Stephen

Conary would not condemn them to death, as the people begged him to do, but spared them for the sake of his kinship in fosterage.

From Myths & Legends of the Celtic Race by Rolleston, T. W. (Thomas William)

When Mardas saw Gharib his reason fled, and he said to him, "O my son, I am under thy protection: so deliver me in right of my fosterage of thee!"

From The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 06 by Burton, Richard Francis, Sir

A child in fosterage was reared and educated suitably for the position it was destined to fill in life.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Slice 4 "Bradford, William" to "Brequigny, Louis" by Various