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

The reasons to nourish your body (including your heart) are myriad, but for anyone looking to set themselves up for success each day should pay particular attention. — Jeremy London, CNBC, 6 Aug. 2026

Not all retreats are monastic, and seclusion can easily nourish a hothouse of gossip. — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026

Cofounded by Juliette Lailler and Marie Belile, Krème touts clean, creamy formulations and focuses on nourishing the skin’s microbiome, which shields against germs, pathogens and inflammation. — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 31 July 2026

As its name suggests, the High Gloss Lip Oil is an ultra-glossy lip product enhanced with nourishing shea oils and jojoba to condition lips and promote a supple-looking finish. — Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 28 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