upbringing

American

[uhp-bring-ing] / ˈʌpˌbrɪŋ ɪŋ /

noun

the care and training of young children or a particular type of such care and training.

His religious upbringing fitted him to be a missionary.

upbringing British

/ ˈʌpˌbrɪŋɪŋ /

noun

Also called: bringing-up. the education of a person during his formative years

"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 upbringing

First recorded in 1475–85; gerund of upbring “to rear children” (obsolete since the 16th century)

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.

Her multicultural upbringing - Parkinson can speak four languages - means she brings a wealth of experience, despite her young age.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

The 75-year-old actor reflected on his upbringing, early career, and decades-long relationship with Hawn, 80, in a wide-ranging interview with the Wall Street Journal.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 26, 2026

But her upbringing was not just among books.

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026

More interesting is the way Mr. Newsom portrays his upbringing.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026

He was a remarkable kid from a remarkable family, inspired by his father, whose own upbringing in the poverty of El Paso couldn’t have been more different.

From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023