foster — English Dictionary

Adjective

1. Providing parental care to children not related to oneself.

   Usage

   • not-comparable

   Examples

   foster parents

2. Receiving such care.

   Usage

   • not-comparable

   Examples

   a foster child

3. Related by such care.

   Usage

   • not-comparable

   Examples

   We are a foster family.

Noun

1. A foster parent.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Informal

   Examples

   Some fosters end up adopting.

2. The care given to another; guardianship.

   Usage

   • Uncountable

Verb

1. To nurture or bring up offspring, or to provide similar parental care to an unrelated child.

   Usage

   • Transitive

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   Some ſay that Rauens foſter forlorne children, / The whilſt their owne birds famiſh in their neſts: / Oh be to me though thy hard hart ſay no, / Nothing ſo kinde but ſomething pittiful.

2. To promote the development of something; to cultivate and grow a thing.

   Usage

   • Transitive

   Examples

   Our company fosters an appreciation for the arts.

   ⁠A flower beat with rain and wind, Which once she foster’d up with care

   More examples (2)

   And Time, which is the hound of Sish, devoured all things; and Sish sent up the ivy and fostered weeds, and dust fell from the hand of Sish and covered stately things.

   Grimsby doesn't ever wound quite as devastatingly as Borat or Brüno, but it's a vital, lavish, venomously profane two fingers up at Benefits Street pity porn and the social division it fosters.

3. To nurse or cherish something.

   Usage

   • Transitive

4. To be nurtured or trained up together.

   Usage

   • Intransitive
   • Obsolete

   Examples

   There Florimell, in her first ages flowre, And passing beautie did eftsoones reveale, Was fostered by those Graces

Noun

1. A forester.

   Usage

   • Obsolete

   Examples

   A griesly Foster forth did rush.

Adjective

1. providing or receiving nurture or parental care though not related by blood or legal ties

   Synonyms

   surrogate

   Examples

   foster parent

   foster child

   More examples (2)

   foster home

   surrogate father

Verb

1. promote the growth of

   Synonyms

   furthercultivate

   Broader terms

   promoteadvanceboostfurtherencourage

   Examples

   Foster our children's well-being and education

2. bring up under fosterage; of children

   Broader terms

   rearraisebring upnurtureparent

3. help develop, help grow

   Synonyms

   nurture

   Broader terms

   encourage

   Examples

   nurture his talents