nurture

[nur-cher]

verb (used with object)

nurtured, nurturing 

1. to feed and protect.

   to nurture one's offspring.

2. to support and encourage, as during the period of training or development; foster.

   to nurture promising musicians.

3. to bring up; train; educate.

noun

1. rearing, upbringing, training, education, or the like.

2. development.

   the nurture of young artists.

3. something that nourishes; nourishment; food.

nurture

/ ˈnɜːtʃə /

noun

1. the act or process of promoting the development, etc, of a child

2. something that nourishes

3. biology the environmental factors that partly determine the structure of an organism See also nature

verb

1. to feed or support

2. to educate or train

Other Word Forms

• nurturable adjective
• nurturer noun
• nurtureless adjective
• unnurtured adjective
• well-nurtured adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of nurture¹

First recorded in 1300–50; (noun) Middle English norture, from Middle French, variant of nourriture, from Late Latin nūtrītūra “a nourishing,” equivalent to Latin nūtrīt(us) (past participle of nūtrīre “to feed”) + -ūra noun suffix; nourish, -ure; (verb) derivative of the noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of nurture¹

C14: from Old French norriture, from Latin nutrīre to nourish

Synonym Study

See nurse.

Example Sentences

Mr Moyo was an award-winning poet, educator and arts administrator "who devoted his life to nurturing Zimbabwe's creative sector", according to the state-run Herald news site.

Read more on BBC

“Knowing how to find people who understand the current landscape and collaborating with them and nurturing them is the reason why he’s still dominant.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Johnson and Sothea envisaged Sovann Komar as “a safe, nurturing home where orphaned and abandoned children can develop—physically, intellectually and spiritually—to their fullest potential,” according to the project’s website.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

This would allow the best in the business to serve their country for a year while also nurturing a culture of excellence.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Glasner is an intelligent guy and will know that dynamic isn't easily nurtured.

Read more on BBC