1. Something that nourishes; sustenance.
2. The act of bringing up.
3. Biology. The sum of environmental influences and conditions acting on an organism.

1. To nourish; feed.
2. To educate; train.
3. To help grow or develop; cultivate: nurture a student's talent.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Late Latin nūtrītūra, act of suckling, from Latin nūtrītus, past participle of nūtrīre, to suckle.]

SYNONYMS   nurture, cultivate, foster, nurse. These verbs mean to promote and sustain the growth and development of: nurturing hopes; cultivating tolerance; foster friendly relations; nursed the fledgling business.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.