fostering
/ˈfɒstərɪŋ/
verb (present participle of foster)
Origin
Old English
fōstor — food, nourishment, feeding
Overview
Meaning Now
- The act of encouraging or promoting the development of something, typically something regarded as positive.
- The act of providing parental care for a child who is not one's biological offspring.
Literal older meaning
nourishing, feeding, or bringing up
Language path
Proto-Germanic → Old English → English
Earliest form
fostrian
Earliest period
Old English
Journey
The root of 'foster' is intimately linked to 'food'. In the Old English period, to 'foster' meant primarily to provide physical sustenance. Over time, the meaning expanded metaphorically from physical nourishment to emotional and social support, and specifically to the legal and social arrangement of non-biological parenting.
Evolution
- Proto-Germanic
*fōstrą
“nourishment”
- Old English
fōstrian
“to feed, nourish, bring up”
- Middle English
fostren
“to nurture, support”
- Modern English
fostering
“encouraging development or temporary parenting”
Connections
Word parts
foster
root
to nourish
ing
suffix
present participle marker
Related across languages
Old Norse
fóstra
to nourish or rear
German
fördern
to promote or encourage (related via similar Germanic roots)
Explore next
Related to fostering
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.