nourish

1 of 2

verb

nour·​ish ˈnər-ish 

ˈnə-rish

nourished; nourishing; nourishes

transitive verb

1

: nurture, rear

… to save my boy, to nourish and bring him up …

—Shakespeare

2

: to promote the growth of

… no occasions to exercise the feelings nor nourish passion.

—L. O. Coxe

nourished soccer as a sport in this country

needed to nourish his spiritual life

3

a

: to furnish or sustain with nutriment : feed

Plants are nourished by rain and soil.

b

: maintain, support

Their profits … nourish other criminal activities.

—Beverly Smith

nourisher noun

nourisher

2 of 2

noun

nour·​ish·​er

-shə(r)

plural -s

: one that nourishes

Synonyms of nourish

Verb

• promote
• cultivate
• encourage
• nurture
• foster

Examples of nourish in a Sentence

Verb

Vitamins are added to the shampoo to nourish the hair.

a friendship nourished by trust

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Cleanse, exfoliate and nourish with SPONGELLE's Body Buffers. — ABC News, 14 July 2026

In addition to their protective agents, some sunscreens contain additional ingredients to nourish the skin. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 13 July 2026

Other Ways Chia Seeds Improve Gut Health The dietary fiber in chia seeds can also nourish beneficial bacteria in the colon, Johnson said. — Maggie O'Neill, Verywell Health, 12 July 2026

Insoluble fiber helps move stool through the digestive tract, while soluble fiber helps nourish beneficial gut bacteria. — Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 11 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English nurishen, from Anglo-French nuriss-, stem of nurrir, norrir, from Latin nutrire to suckle, nourish; akin to Greek nan to flow, noteros damp, Sanskrit snauti it drips

Noun

Middle English noryssher, from norishen + -er

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for nourish

• flourish

Kids Definition

nourish

verb

nour·​ish ˈnər-ish 

ˈnə-rish

1

: to promote the growth or development of

2

a

: to provide with food : feed

plants nourished by rain and soil

b

: to provide for : support, maintain

a friendship nourished by trust

Medical Definition

nourish

transitive verb

nour·​ish ˈnər-ish, ˈnə-rish 

: to furnish or sustain with nutriment : feed