Foster

Podcast 1 · Introduction

Foster

A documentary-style narration: origin, meaning, and feel.

Part of speech

verb and adjective

Pronunciation

FOS-ter  /ˈfɒstə/

Definition

As a verb: to encourage the development of something; to bring up a child not one's own; to take care of. As an adjective: denoting a family relationship through fostering rather than birth — foster parent, foster child, foster home.

Plain meaning

To foster something is to encourage or nurture its growth — foster a talent, foster good relations. To foster a child is to care for them temporarily as a non-birth parent.

Register

Neutral across child welfare, social, and professional contexts. The metaphorical sense — fostering something — is standard in professional and formal writing.