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foster

Archaic Terms
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

To nourish, raise, or care for; to encourage growth or development; to promote or cultivate, whether raising children, nurturing ideas, or supporting development.

Detailed Definition
“Foster” implies nurturing care—of children, virtues, or ideas. In poetry, it links physical and moral cultivation. The verb’s warmth suits pastoral or didactic contexts, where growth is deliberate and tender. Poets use it to describe how environments shape character, or how love fosters virtue, reinforcing themes of education, legacy, and gentle influence.
Example
Example in poetry:
"They fostered the orphan as their own," in a charitable lyric; In Shakespeare’s Winter’s Tale: "Fostered in the house of Leontes"; "Foster virtue in the young," advises a moral epistle; "The land fostered heroes in time of need"; "She fostered dreams in barren soil"; Foster care is love without blood.
Additional Notes
“Foster” implies nurturing beyond biology—fostering ideas, virtues, or talents; in didactic or allegorical poetry, it frames education or spiritual growth as active cultivation, often by mentors or muses.
Also Known As
nurture raise rear
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