Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “foster” come from?

Foster derives from Middle English foster, Old English fostor, and Proto-Germanic fōstrą, which trace back to Proto-Indo-European peh₂- meaning to feed or nourish.

foster (English): Providing parental care to children not related...

Definitions

  1. Providing parental care to children not related...

Ancestry of “foster”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishfoster—
2Old Englishfōstor—
3Proto-West Germanic*fōstr—
4Proto-Germanicfōstrąfostering
5Proto-Indo-Europeanpeh₂-to protect; to shepherd

Words derived from “foster”

  • fosterage
  • fosterer
  • fostress
  • fostereth
  • fosterment
  • fosterable
  • fosterest
  • cross-foster
  • fosteress
Every word from Proto-Indo-European peh₂- →