Foster
/ˈfɒs.tər/noun
To raise or care for a child or animal that is not one's own, or to encourage the development of something.
Did you know?Foster comes from an Old English word tied to nourishment and upbringing, and it’s part of a family of words that originally had more to do with feeding and support than modern adoption.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*pa-
“to feed, protect, or tend”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*fōstrą
“nourishment, upbringing, care”
Old English
OE
fōstr
“food, nourishment; bringing up, fostering”
Old English
OE
fōstrian
“to nourish, bring up, rear”
Middle English
ME
fostren
“to nourish, support, raise”
Modern English
English
foster
“to raise or care for as a parent; to encourage the growth of something”