foster

/ˈfɑstər/

/ˈfɒstə/

Other forms: fostered; fostering; fosters; fosterer

To foster is to nurture something. A teacher could foster creativity by providing crayons to every student. You can also foster a child, which means the child lives in your home for a time.

You may have seen photos of a cat taking care of a baby rabbit, or a pig nursing a litter of puppies: those are little foster families. Foster can be a verb (to foster someone or something) or an adjective used to describe a foster family, child, or parent. The word is from the Old English fostrian meaning "to supply with food, nourish, support," which sounds like what those mama hogs were doing. Unlike adopt, foster has a time limit.

Definitions of foster

1. adjective

   providing or receiving nurture or parental care though not related by blood or legal ties
   “foster parent”

   “foster child”

   “foster home”

   synonyms: surrogate

   adoptive

   of parents and children; related by adoption
2. verb

   promote the growth of
   synonyms: further

   type of:

   advance, boost, encourage, further, promote

   contribute to the progress or growth of
3. verb

   help develop, help grow
   synonyms: nurture

   types:

   keep going, patronage, patronise, patronize, support

   be a regular customer or client of

   serve, serve well

   promote, benefit, or be useful or beneficial to

   type of:

   encourage

   inspire with confidence; give hope or courage to
4. verb

   bring up under fosterage; of children
   type of:

   bring up, nurture, parent, raise, rear

   bring up