nurture

American  

[nur-cher] / ˈnɜr tʃər /

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 British  

/ 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

Related Words

See nurse.

Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of nurture

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; see nourish, -ure; (verb) derivative of the noun

Explanation

If you plant a seed, water it daily and give it lots of light, you nurture it until it is ready to be transplanted outside. When you nurture a person or thing, you care for it and help it to grow. After a fight with your friend, you may have to nurture the relationship a little until you're close again. Use the phrase "nature versus nurture" to help you remember the word. Nature is a baby just out of the womb. Nurture is how that baby is raised or taken care of. Once the child is older, you may wonder if its love of reading is nature or nurture — is it natural born or is it because you read to the baby every night.

Example Sentences

People contemplating leaving the workforce should consider questions like: What hobbies or interests do they want to nurture?

From MarketWatch • Apr. 23, 2026

The Victorian glasshouses nurture fattening peaches, while in the main garden beyond, a tower of water bursts up into the sky—the highest powered fountain in England.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026

She was born in Washington, D.C., in 1915 but left the U.S. permanently to live in Mexico after World War II. “Her work will nurture you,” Wille said.

From Salon • Apr. 6, 2026

But there will be no stopping progress, only a utopian, Fairey-like hope that those who come will be inspired to keep and nurture the magical qualities of the place.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026

They work—no ties, you got me there—and mate and nurture baby birds until they can fly.

From "They Both Die at the End" by Adam Silvera