FOSTER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does Foster mean? 

• FOSTER (noun)
  The noun FOSTER has 1 sense:

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

  Familiarity information: FOSTER used as a noun is very rare.

• FOSTER (adjective)
  The adjective FOSTER has 1 sense:

1. providing or receiving nurture or parental care though not related by blood or legal ties

  Familiarity information: FOSTER used as an adjective is very rare.

• FOSTER (verb)
  The verb FOSTER has 3 senses:

1. promote the growth of

2. bring up under fosterage; of children

3. help develop, help grow

  Familiarity information: FOSTER used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• FOSTER (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

Foster; Stephen Collins Foster; Stephen Foster

Instance hypernyms:

ballad maker; songster; songwriter (a composer of words or music for popular songs)

• FOSTER (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Providing or receiving nurture or parental care though not related by blood or legal ties

Synonyms:

foster; surrogate

Context example:

surrogate father

Similar:

adoptive (of parents and children; related by adoption)

• FOSTER (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they foster    ... he / she / it fosters   
Past simple: fostered   
Past participle: fostered   
-ing form: fostering   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Promote the growth of

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

foster; further

Context example:

Foster our children's well-being and education

Hypernyms (to "foster" is one way to...):

advance; boost; encourage; further; promote (contribute to the progress or growth of)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

fosterage (encouragement; aiding the development of something)

fostering (helping someone grow up to be an accepted member of the community)

fostering (encouragement; aiding the development of something)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Bring up under fosterage; of children

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "foster" is one way to...):

bring up; nurture; parent; raise; rear (look after a child until it is an adult)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 3

Meaning:

Help develop, help grow

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

foster; nurture

Context example:

nurture his talents

Hypernyms (to "foster" is one way to...):

encourage (inspire with confidence; give hope or courage to)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "foster"):

keep going; patronage; patronise; patronize; support (be a regular customer or client of)

serve; serve well (promote, benefit, or be useful or beneficial to)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Derivation:

fosterage; fostering (helping someone grow up to be an accepted member of the community)

fostering (encouragement; aiding the development of something)

 Context examples 

All the social cues that normally foster connection are less readily available to the child, so the child doesn’t receive the optimal emotional input it needs to thrive.

(Mothers’ and babies’ brains ‘more in tune’ when mother is happy, University of Cambridge)

Professor Foster said the link could be much more widespread in other countries where air pollution is rife.

(Air Pollution Can Trigger Glaucoma, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Fostered offspring have a high incidence of hepatomas.

(C3H/HeJ Mouse, NCI Thesaurus)

Inflammation has been proven to play a major role in a number of normal processes in humans, but it also fosters diseases, many of which are increasing in prevalence and severity.

(Natural protein points to new inflammation treatment, NIH)

She continued with her foster parents and bloomed in their rude abode, fairer than a garden rose among dark-leaved brambles.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

Some are in foster care, a temporary home setting.

(Adoption, NIH)

It fosters a multidisciplinary, interactive environment where basic, clinical, translational, and prevention and control scientists work closely together.

(City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, NCI Thesaurus)

Public opinion has gradually become opposed to it, for the reason that it came largely into the hands of rogues, and because it fostered ringside ruffianism.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It also facilitates the research of its members, fosters multidisciplinary approaches to cancer, provides infrastructure support for cancer research, and develops new methods and strategies to reduce cancer incidence and mortality.

(Masonic Cancer Center, NCI Thesaurus)

This award is intended to foster the development of outstanding scientists and enable them to expand their potential to make significant contributions to their field of research.

(Independent Scientist Award, NCI Thesaurus)