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noun Uncommon

nurture

NURR-chuhr

Nurture (noun) means Care and encouragement given to help someone or something grow and develop. Example: “The plants thrived under her careful nurture.”

noun
1
Care and encouragement given to help someone or something grow and develop.
"The plants thrived under her careful nurture."
2
The environmental and social influences on a person's development, as opposed to inherited traits.
"The debate over nature versus nurture is far from settled."
verb
1
To care for and encourage the growth or development of someone or something.
"The teacher nurtured her students' curiosity from an early age."
"He had nurtured the small business for over a decade."

How to use nurture

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo care for and help something grow, or the environment and upbringing that shapes a person.

Common pairings
nature versus nurture nurture a talent nurture a relationship

Word forms

nurtured past tense, nurtures plural, nurtures singular

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The plants thrived under her careful _____.

Etymology

From Old French norriture, "nourishment", from Latin nutrire, "to nourish".

Origin: Latin

Related words

Rhymes for nurture

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Frequently asked questions

What does “nurture” mean?

The word “nurture” means care and encouragement given to help someone or something grow and develop. In plain terms, to care for and help something grow, or the environment and upbringing that shapes a person.

How do you pronounce “nurture”?

“Nurture” is pronounced NURR-chuhr (/ˈnɜːɹ.t͡ʃəɹ/ in IPA).

How do you use “nurture” in a sentence?

Here is “nurture” used in a sentence: “The plants thrived under her careful nurture.”

What is another word for “nurture”?

Words with a similar meaning to “nurture” include encourage, foster, feed, grow, cultivate and promote.

What is the opposite of “nurture”?

The opposite of “nurture” — its antonyms — are destroy and hinder.

What part of speech is “nurture”?

Depending on how it is used, “nurture” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “nurture” come from?

The word “nurture” comes from Latin. From Old French norriture, "nourishment", from Latin nutrire, "to nourish".

Is “nurture” a common word?

“Nurture” is an uncommon word in modern English.

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial