foster Meaning & Definition
What Does Foster Mean?
As an adjective, foster means Providing parental care to children not related to oneself. It can also mean Receiving such care. As a noun, it means A foster parent. As a verb, it means To nurture or bring up offspring, or to provide similar parental care to an unrelated child.
Foster in Brief
| Part of speech | adjective, noun, verb |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | //ˈfɒstə// |
| Syllables | 1 |
| Synonyms | nurture, surrogate and further |
| Antonyms | hamper and hinder |
| Plural | fosters |
| Verb forms | fosters, fostering, fostered |
Foster Definition (Adjective)
- Providing parental care to children not related to oneself.
foster parents
- Receiving such care.
a foster child
- Related by such care.
We are a foster family.
Foster as a Noun
- A foster parent.
Some fosters end up adopting.
- The care given to another; guardianship.
Foster as a Verb
- To nurture or bring up offspring, or to provide similar parental care to an unrelated child.
- To promote the development of something; to cultivate and grow a thing.
Our company fosters an appreciation for the arts.
- To nurse or cherish something.
- To be nurtured or trained up together.
Noun
- A forester.
Verb
- To cultivate and grow something.
Our company fosters an appreciation for the arts.
Synonyms of Foster
Foster synonyms and antonyms →Antonyms of Foster
Foster in a Sentence
foster parents
a foster child
We are a foster family.
Some fosters end up adopting.
Our company fosters an appreciation for the arts.
Word Forms & Grammar
foster (not comparable)
foster (countable and uncountable, plural fosters)
foster (third-person singular simple present fosters, present participle fostering, simple past and past participle fostered)
foster (plural fosters)
Words That Rhyme With Foster
Origin of Foster
Origin 1: From Middle English foster, from Old English fōstor (“food, sustenance”), from Proto-West Germanic *fōstr, from Proto-Germanic *fōstrą (“nourishment, food”).
Origin 2: Cognate with Middle Dutch voester (“nursemaid”), Middle Low German vôster (“food”), Old Norse fóstr (“nurturing, education, alimony, child support”), Danish foster (“fetus”), Swedish foster (“fetus”).
How Do You Say Foster?
Foster is pronounced //ˈfɒstə// and has 1 syllable.
Foster: Your Questions Answered
Is foster an adjective or a noun?
Foster is mainly used as an adjective, but it can also be used as a noun and a verb.
What is another word for foster?
Close synonyms of foster are nurture, surrogate and further. See the full list of foster synonyms and antonyms.
What is the plural of foster?
The plural of foster is fosters.
What is the past tense of foster?
The past tense of foster is fostered. The present participle is fostering.