Inflected forms: fos·tered, fos·ter·ing, fos·ters 1. To bring up; nurture: bear and foster offspring. See synonyms at nurture. 2. To promote the growth and development of; cultivate: detect and foster artistic talent. See synonyms at advance. 3. To nurse; cherish: foster a secret hope.
ADJECTIVE:
1. Providing parental care and nurture to children not related through legal or blood ties: foster parents; foster grandparents; a foster home.2. Receiving parental care and nurture from those not related to one through legal or blood ties: foster children.
ETYMOLOGY:
Middle English fostren, from Old English *fstrian, to nourish, from fstor, food, nourishing. See p- in Appendix I.
fô
st
r, f
s
strian, to nourish, from f
- in Appendix I.
