Ella Pearson MitchellR. D. Blackmore
Sue ShellenbargerRay Olson
Did you know?
Which affects a person’s development more, nurture or nature? We can’t answer that question—it’s far outside the lexicographer’s purview—but we can tell you that when nurture was first adopted into the English language in the 14th century it referred, as it does in that question, to training or upbringing, i.e. to the care and attention given to someone or something that is growing or developing. It wasn’t until a century later that the verb nurture settled into the language, first with meanings having to do with feeding and caring for young—meanings nourish had been, er, nurturing for a hundred years. The words come by their overlapping meanings etymologically: both come from the Latin verb nutrire, meaning “to suckle” or “to nourish” (as do the words nutrient, nutritious, nutriment, and nutrition). The figurative use of nurture, meaning “to further the development of,” didn’t arise until the mid-18th century. Mary Wollstonecraft applied it in her 1792 book, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, writing, “Public spirit must be nurtured by private virtue.”
Synonyms
Examples of nurture in a Sentence
Jon Hamilton, NPR, 4 Apr. 2024
Many other children, perhaps the majority of the 1 billion who are maltreated each year, are less fortunate, more vulnerable by nature and nurture.
—Marc D. Hauser, TIME, 3 Apr. 2024
More recently, he’s helped the Over-the-Rhine gym nurture the next generation of boxers – bringing daughter Promise, 4, and son Ny’Eir, 6, to his daily workouts.
—The Enquirer, 25 Mar. 2024
The male generally defends the nest while the female nurtures the chicks.
—Maggie Menderski, The Courier-Journal, 7 Feb. 2024
His emphasis on creating a fearless environment – one that encourages mistakes, nurtures growth, and develops a self-reflecting and learning culture – marks a sea of change in corporate leadership values, setting a standard for future leaders.
—Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 24 Jan. 2024
Perhaps there is an academic researcher somewhere willing to explore this fascinating question of nature vs. nurture.
—James Freeman, WSJ, 21 Nov. 2023
Under the new agreement, Small World will collaborate with teams from WMG, ADA and Warner Chappell Music to elevate Small World’s artist and songwriter rosters worldwide and discover, nurture and elevate a new generation of African talent.
—Chris Eggertsen, Billboard, 30 Nov. 2023
Venerated in some cultures and feared in others, twins have served as emblems of affinity and rivalry and, for scientists and philosophers, as case studies in the search to understand the power of nature over nurture.
—Christine Rosen, WSJ, 29 Dec. 2023
Hunter Ingram, Variety, 18 Apr. 2024
Since the Zegna founder embarked on this vast undertaking, more than 500,000 trees have been planted and nurtured in an area that stretches some 100 square kilometers.
—Liam Hess, Vogue, 17 Apr. 2024
Had that happened, I could have been nurtured to learn and even be wrong about things without people blaming my mistakes on my being Black — and without making opportunities harder to come by for other Black people.
—Vanessa Grubbs, STAT, 16 Apr. 2024
Her mother, Willi Posey, was a fashion designer who nurtured her daughter’s creative spirit—and would later become one of her frequent collaborators.
—Christopher Parker, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Apr. 2024
While our inherent kindness, ambition, wit and courage can shine, these qualities take nurturing, too.
—David Oliver, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024
And nurture each other in a way that suggests that this whole manufactured exercise in Sasquatchery is really an allegory for the glorious, complicated human experience.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 11 Apr. 2024
Cooper has seen a steady flow of young drummers come through his program thanks to institutions like School of Rock Miami, where teachers are nurturing passionate artists who want to continue to hone their skills on the instrument.
—Hennessy Sepulveda, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2024
The aim of the experiment, which was the first time scientists managed to nurture seeds in lunar soil, was to see how the plants responded, both physically and at a genetic level, to moondust.
—Miriam Fauzia, Discover Magazine, 10 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nurture.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near nurture
Cite this Entry
“Nurture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nurture. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
nurture
2 of 2 verb
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