foster

== English == === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈfɒs.tə/ (US, without the cot–caught merger) IPA(key): /ˈfɔ.stɚ/ (General American, cot–caught merger, Canada) IPA(key): /ˈfɑ.stɚ/ (General Australian) IPA(key): /ˈfɔs.tə/ (New Zealand) IPA(key): /ˈfɒs.tə/, [ˈfɔ̟s.tə] Rhymes: -ɒstə(ɹ) === Etymology 1 === From Middle English foster, from Old English fōstor (“food, sustenance”), from Proto-West Germanic *fōstr, from Proto-Germanic *fōstrą (“nourishment, food”). 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”). ==== Adjective ==== foster (not comparable) 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. ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Translations ===== ==== Noun ==== foster (countable and uncountable, plural fosters) (countable, informal) A foster parent. (uncountable) The care given to another; guardianship. ==== Verb ==== foster (third-person singular simple present fosters, present participle fostering, simple past and past participle fostered) (transitive) To nurture or bring up offspring, or to provide similar parental care to an unrelated child. (transitive) To promote the development of something; to cultivate and grow a thing. (transitive) To nurse or cherish something. (intransitive, obsolete) To be nurtured or trained up together. ===== Usage notes ===== Modern English makes a distinction between fostering (which is implied to be temporary or informal) and adopting (which is permanent and makes the child legally recognized as part of the family). In older usage the two terms were more interchangeable. ===== Antonyms ===== (antonym(s) of “cultivate and grow”): hamper ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Translations ===== === Etymology 2 === ==== Noun ==== foster (plural fosters) (obsolete) A forester. === Anagrams === Forest, Forets, Fortes, fetors, forest, forset, fortes, fortés, froste, softer == Danish == === Etymology === From Old Danish fostær, from Old Norse fóstr (“rear, raise”), from Proto-Germanic *fōstrą. === Noun === foster n (singular definite fostret or fosteret, plural indefinite fostre) fetus ==== Inflection ==== === References === “foster” in Den Danske Ordbog “foster” in Ordbog over det danske Sprog == Middle English == === Alternative forms === fostre, voster (Early ME) fostær (hypercorrect) forster === Etymology 1 === Inherited from Old English fōster, from Proto-West Germanic *fōstr, from Proto-Germanic *fōstrą; reinforced by Old English fōstre (“fosterer”). The vocalism is due to regular shortening before a three-consonant cluster (in the Old English oblique stem fōstr-). ==== Pronunciation ==== IPA(key): /ˈfɔstər/, /ˈfɔstrə/ ==== Noun ==== foster (plural *fostres) A child; one of one's progeny. (chiefly Early Middle English) Food or other care. (rare) A foster child or adopted child. (rare) A foster parent or adoptee. ===== Related terms ===== fosterbroder fosterfader fostermoder fostren ===== Descendants ===== English: foster Scots: foster ===== References ===== “foster, n.(1).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007. “forstē̆r, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007. === Etymology 2 === ==== Noun ==== foster alternative form of forester === Etymology 3 === ==== Verb ==== foster alternative form of fostren == Norwegian Bokmål == === Etymology === From Old Norse fóstr. === Noun === foster n (definite singular fosteret or fostret, indefinite plural foster or fostre, definite plural fostra or fostrene) (biology) a fetus or foetus ==== Derived terms ==== fostervann ==== Related terms ==== embryo === References === “foster” in The Bokmål Dictionary. == Norwegian Nynorsk == === Etymology === From Old Norse fóstr. === Noun === foster n (definite singular fosteret, indefinite plural foster, definite plural fostera) (biology) a fetus or foetus ==== Related terms ==== embryo === References === “foster” in The Nynorsk Dictionary. == Old English == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈfoːs.ter/ === Noun === fōster n alternative form of fōstor ==== Declension ==== Strong a-stem: == Swedish == === Etymology === From Old Norse fóstr (“rear, raise”), from Proto-Germanic *fōstrą. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /fʊstɛr/ === Noun === foster n a fetus (figuratively) an (intellectual) product ==== Declension ==== ==== Derived terms ==== fosterbror fosterfördrivning fosterhem fostersyster tankefoster ==== Related terms ==== fostra ==== See also ==== embryo (“embryo”) moderkaka (“placenta”) navelsträng (“umbilical cord”) === References === foster in Svensk ordbok (SO) foster in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL) foster in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB) Svensk MeSH