fosters; fostered; fostering
1
: to help (something) grow or develop
We are trying to foster [=encourage, promote] a sense of community.
Such conditions foster the spread of the disease.
2
: to provide the care that a parent usually gives to a child : to be or become the foster parent of a child
Would you consider fostering a child?
(chiefly Brit) Would you consider fostering?
always used before a noun
—used to describe a situation in which for a period of time a child lives with and is cared for by people who are not the child's parents
They are foster parents to three foster children.
She's in foster care. = She's in a foster home. [=she is living in a home with and being taken care of by foster parents]
Cite this Entry
“Foster.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/foster. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
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