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
Sander Van 't Noordende, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2024
Cultures of genius cater to the select few, while cultures of growth nurture everyone based on their needs, aptitudes, and abilities.
—Mary C. Murphy, TIME, 2 Apr. 2024
Over the course of a decade, the organization honed its approach, culminating in the creation of the Pink Program – a comprehensive initiative designed to nurture children’s social, academic, and vocational skills.
—Hilary Tetenbaum, USA TODAY, 1 Apr. 2024
This year, in their ever-expanding quest to offer new and unique ways to unite and nourish their community, Summit has launched Membership, a platform to nurture connections, create spaces for meaningful relationships, inspire innovation, and invoke collaboration.
—John Hall, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
On the other hand, organic farms nurture beneficial insects that migrate to other fields.
—Karen Kaplan, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024
Around this time, the dynamic duo created a multimillion endowment to USC for the USC Iovine and Young Academy dedicated to nurturing their students’ talents in music and business.
—A.d. Amorosi, Variety, 19 Mar. 2024
Her beauty line reflects Key’s values of nurturing our inner being.
—Celeste Polanco, Essence, 13 Mar. 2024
Forgive them for not nurturing your great qualities, and move on.
—Harriette Cole, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 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 18 Apr. 2024.
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nurture
2 of 2 verb
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