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 EnglishfosterA child; one of one's progeny
2Old Englishfōstorfostering, nourishing, rearing, feeding
3Proto-West Germanic*fōstr—
4Proto-Germanicfōstrąfostering
5Proto-Indo-Europeanpeh₂-to protect; to shepherd
Every word from Proto-Indo-European peh₂- →Every word from Proto-Germanic fōstrą →Every word from Proto-West Germanic *fōstr →