Definition of Foster

1. Noun. United States songwriter whose songs embody the sentiment of the South before the American Civil War (1826-1864).


2. Verb. Promote the growth of. "Foster our children's well-being and education"
Exact synonyms: Further
Generic synonyms: Advance, Boost, Encourage, Further, Promote
Derivative terms: Fosterage, Fostering, Fostering, Furtherance

3. Adjective. Providing or receiving nurture or parental care though not related by blood or legal ties. "Surrogate father"
Exact synonyms: Surrogate
Similar to: Adoptive

4. Verb. Bring up under fosterage; of children.
Generic synonyms: Bring Up, Nurture, Parent, Raise, Rear

5. Verb. Help develop, help grow. "Nurture his talents"
Exact synonyms: Nurture
Specialized synonyms: Keep Going, Patronage, Patronise, Patronize, Support, Serve, Serve Well
Generic synonyms: Encourage
Derivative terms: Fosterage, Fostering, Fostering, Nurture, Nurture

Definition of Foster

1. v. t. To feed; to nourish; to support; to bring up.

2. v. i. To be nourished or trained up together.

3. a. Relating to nourishment; affording, receiving, or sharing nourishment or nurture; -- applied to father, mother, child, brother, etc., to indicate that the person so called stands in the relation of parent, child, brother, etc., as regards sustenance and nurture, but not by tie of blood.

4. n. A forester.

Definition of Foster

1. Proper noun. (surname A=An English from=Middle English dot=), variant of Forster. ¹

2. Adjective. Providing parental care to unrelated children. ¹

3. Adjective. receiving such care ¹

4. Adjective. Related by such care ¹

5. Noun. (context: countable obsolete) A forester ¹

6. Noun. The care given to another; guardianship ¹

7. Verb. (transitive) To nurture or bring up offspring; or to provide similar parental care to an unrelated child. ¹

8. Verb. (transitive) To cultivate and grow something. ¹

9. Verb. (transitive) To nurse or cherish something. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Foster

1. to promote the growth of [v -ED, -ING, -S]

Medical Definition of Foster

1. Relating to nourishment; affording, receiving, or sharing nourishment or nurture; applied to father, mother, child, brother, etc, to indicate that the person so called stands in the relation of parent, child, brother, etc, as regards sustenance and nurture, but not by tie of blood. Foster babe, or child, an infant of child nursed by a woman not its mother, or bred by a man not its father. Foster brother, Foster sister, one who is, or has been, nursed at the same breast, or brought up by the same nurse as another, but is not of the same parentage. Foster dam, one who takes the place of a mother; a nurse. Foster earth, earth by which a plant is nourished, though not its native soil. Foster father, a man who takes the place of a father in caring for a child. Foster land. Land allotted for the maintenance of any one. One's adopted country. Foster lean [foster + AS. Laen a loan See Loan], remuneration fixed for the rearing of a foster child; also, the jointure of a wife. Foster mother, a woman who takes a mother's place in the nurture and care of a child; a nurse. Foster nurse, a nurse; a nourisher. Foster parent, a foster mother or foster father. Foster son, a male foster child. Origin: AS. Foster, fostor, nourishment. See Foster. 1. To feed; to nourish; to support; to bring up. "Some say that ravens foster forlorn children." (Shak) 2. To cherish; to promote the growth of; to encourage; to sustain and promote; as, to foster genius. Origin: OE. Fostren, fr. AS. Foster, fostor, food, nourishment, fr. Foda food. 75. See Food. To be nourished or trained up together. A forester. One who, or that which, fosters. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Foster

fossorial foot
fossorial mammal
fossorious
fossors
fossula
fossula fenestrae cochleae
fossula fenestrae vestibuli
fossula petrosa
fossula rotunda
fossulae
fossulae tonsillares
fossulate
fossulæ
fossy
fossæ
foster (current term)
foster-brother
foster-child
foster-daughter
foster-father
foster-mother
foster-nurse
foster-parent
foster-sister
foster-son
foster care
foster child
foster children
foster families
foster family

Literary usage of Foster

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. South Eastern Reporter by West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals, West Publishing Company, South Carolina Supreme Court (1922)
"The situation was this: King had Induced foster to purchase this property for the purpose of being resold, and, relying upon King, foster had done so; ..."

2. The Dictionary of National Biography by Sidney Lee (1908)
"JAH foster, SIR AUGUSTUS JOHN (1780- 184 8), diplomatist, second son of John Thomas foster, MP for Ennis in the Irish House of Commons (nephew of Anthony ..."

3. Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature by H.W. Wilson Company (1915)
"Nation 100:630 Je 17 '15 foster, Maximilian, 1872- Hardest ride a man ... Everybody's 33:425-36 O '15 foster, Milton H. General hospital for all nations. ..."

4. The New England Historical and Genealogical Register by Henry Fritz-Gilbert Waters (1898)
"Hopestill foster d. 15 Oct. 1676. His widow Mary d. 5 Jan. 1702-3, aged 84 years. (Tombstone.) Mrs. David W. foster lias the unrecorded original of an ..."

5. Reports of Cases Argued and Determined in the Court of King's Bench: With by Great Britain Court of King's Bench, George Mifflin Wharton (1845)
"The testator died soon after making his will, without leaving any issue either born in his lifetime or after his decease; and leaving the said Thomas foster ..."

6. Cumulative Book Index by H.W. Wilson Company (1903)
"foster, Finis A. Practical Sunday School class book for the use of Sunday School ... foster. Mabel G. Heart of the doctor; a story of the Italian quarter. ..."

7. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London by Royal Society (Great Britain) (1898)
"The experiment was further undertaken in order to determine what effect, it any, a uterine foster-mother would have upon her foster-children, anil whether ..."

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