rear

The word “rear” means to bring up and care for a child or young animal until maturity. In plain terms, as a verb, to raise a child or animal, or (of a horse) to rise on its hind legs; as a noun or adjective, it refers to the back part of something.

“Rear” is pronounced REER (/ˈɹɪɚ/ in IPA).

Here is “rear” used in a sentence: “They reared three children on the family farm.”

The opposite of “rear” — its antonyms — is front.

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

The word “rear” comes from Old English. From Old English rǣran ("to raise, set upright"), from a Proto-Germanic root meaning "to cause to rise" — a doublet of raise, and related to rise.

“Rear” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

“Rear” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to bring up and care for a child or young animal until maturity.

Used of children, rear and raise mean the same thing — to bring someone up to maturity. Raise is more common in everyday American English; rear sounds more formal and is preferred in British English. Rear also applies naturally to animals, as in rearing cattle.

Yes. Rear is commonly used for animals, meaning to breed and care for young livestock or other creatures until they mature. Farmers rear cattle, sheep, and poultry; someone might rear chickens in a garden. This animal sense is one reason rear feels broader than raise.

You might say, 'She was reared by her grandparents,' or 'They reared four children in the countryside.' For animals: 'The farm rears free-range pigs.' In each case, rear means to nurture and bring up a child or young animal through to maturity.