Advertisement

Advertisement

View synonyms for

foster

1

[ faw-ster, fos-ter ]

verb (used with object)

  1. to promote the growth or development of; further; encourage:

    to foster new ideas.

    Synonyms: , , , ,

    Antonyms:

  2. to care for a foster child or a pet as a temporary guardian:

    The couple fostered two boys until they could be reunited with their birth parents.

    Have you ever fostered a kitten that you just couldn’t part from afterwards?

    Synonyms: , , , ,

  3. to care for or cherish.
  4. British. to place (a child) in a foster home.
  5. Obsolete. to feed or nourish.


Foster

2

[ faw-ster, fos-ter ]

noun

  1. Stephen (Collins), 1826–64, U.S. songwriter.
  2. William Z(eb·u·lon) [zeb, -y, uh, -l, uh, n], 1881–1961, U.S. labor organizer: leader in the Communist Party.
  3. a male given name.

foster

1

/ ˈɒə /

verb

  1. to promote the growth or development of
  2. to bring up (a child, etc); rear
  3. to cherish (a plan, hope, etc) in one's mind
    1. to place (a child) in the care of foster parents
    2. to bring up under fosterage
“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

adjective

  1. in combination indicating relationship through fostering and not through birth

    foster mother

    foster child

  2. in combination of or involved in the rearing of a child by persons other than his natural or adopted parents

    foster home

“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

Foster

2

/ ˈɒə /

noun

  1. FosterJodie1962FUSFILMS AND TV: actressFILMS AND TV: director Jodie . born 1962, US film actress and director: her films include Taxi Driver (1976), The Accused (1988), The Silence of the Lambs (1990), Little Man Tate (1991; also directed), Nell (1995), and Panic Room (2002)
  2. FosterNorman1935MBritishARCHITECTURE: architect Norman , Baron. born 1935, British architect. His works include the Willis Faber building (1978) in Ipswich, Stansted Airport, Essex (1991), Chek Lap Kok Airport, Hong Kong (1998), the renovation of the Reichstag, Berlin (1999), and City Hall, London (2002)
  3. FosterStephen Collins18261864MUSMUSIC: composer Stephen Collins . 1826–64, US composer of songs such as The Old Folks at Home and Oh Susanna
“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
Discover More

Derived Forms

  • ˈڴDzٱԲ, noun
  • ˈڴDzٱ, noun
Discover More

Other Word Forms

  • ڴDz·ٱ· noun
  • ڴDz·ٱ·Բ· adverb
  • ܲ·ڴDz·ٱ·Բ adjective
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of foster1

First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English ōٴǰ “ndzܰ󳾱Գ,” ōٰ “to nourish”; cognate with Old Norse ōٰ; akin to food
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of foster1

Old English ōٰ to feed, from ōٴǰ food
Discover More

Synonym Study

See cherish.
Discover More

Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The couple had permission to foster the little girl but not to adopt her or take her out of Nigeria.

From

An Ojai transplant himself, the actor is dedicated to preserving the integrity of the close-knit community while fostering its artistic growth.

From

Alan Shoenfeld, an attorney for the school board, said its goal for the new storybooks was “to foster mutual respect. The lesson is that they should treat their peers with respect.”

From

These programs have played a vital role in fostering cultural vibrancy in underserved areas.

From

It fosters really beautiful relationships between the actors who have shared that experience together because it is so singular and so rare.

From

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


fossulafosterage