nurture
NER-cher
/ˈnɜːrtʃər/
To care for and encourage the growth or development of someone or something.
Nurture implies a gentle, sustained, and protective kind of support, often compared to how one cares for a plant or a child.
The story behind the word. Coming from the Latin 'nutrire', which means 'to suckle' or 'to feed', nurture shares its history with 'nutrition'. It suggests that teaching is a form of feeding the mind.
Word relationships
- foster: Foster often implies promoting growth in a specific skill or idea, while nurture is more about the overall well-being of the individual.
- neglect: Neglect is the total failure to provide care or attention.
Word family
- nurturing (adjective): Providing care and encouragement.
Collocations
- nurture talent
- nurture a relationship
- nurturing environment
Example sentences
- "The relative importance of nature and nurture has been the subject of long-standing debate." The debate over human development.
Memory hook
Nurture sounds like 'nurse'. A nurse cares for and feeds patients to help them grow strong. Feeding the growth.
When not to use
Avoid using it for purely mechanical or technical improvements; it requires a living or creative subject.
Fun facts
- The term 'Nature vs. Nurture' was popularized by Francis Galton in the 19th century to describe the influence of heredity versus environment.
Explore more words
foster, cherish, tenderness, upbringing, incubation, stimulate
Also appears in
- Leadership → Mentorship & Guidance
- Relationships → Support & Advocacy
- Psychology → Developmental Stages & Maturation
- Education & Pedagogy → Early Childhood Education
- Education & Pedagogy → Extracurricular & Enrichment
- Psychology → Child & Adolescent Development
- Home & Domestic Life → Parenting & Childcare
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