nurturing

[nur-cher-ing]

adjective

1. providing food, protection, comfort, or support.

   Creating safe, nurturing places where all children can grow and develop their unique gifts is a responsibility of all adult members of a society.

noun

1. the act of providing food, protection, support, or encouragement.

   There's no substitute for what nurturing can do for a child.

2. the act or process of educating or training.

   We hope to build an ecosystem in this county that encourages incubation, innovation, and nurturing of entrepreneurs.

Word History and Origins

Origin of nurturing¹

First recorded in 1425–75; nurtur(e) ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. ) for the adjective sense; nurtur(e) ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. ) for the noun senses

Example Sentences

The family came vividly alive—we sensed Augustine’s role as nurturing mother, as well as the cockiness of the older son.

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The things we keep and use in the kitchen, especially, can conjure powerful memories: aromatic reminders of nurturing care and loving connection as well as less savory bites of deprivation, regret, disappointment and loss.

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They alienate young men, not just from women but also from each other, nurturing a worldview that sees all relationships as determined by hierarchy and domination.

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“In my experience, Shards take on some personality traits that were especially strong in Asase. Some were nurturing. Others, selfless. But you … you’re just stubborn.”

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She adds she’s been in nurturing positions her entire life — to her younger sister Elle, and to the daughters of her best friend, who are 5 and 2, as their godmother.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• sustenance