nurture

 
Pronunciation: /ˈnəːtʃə/

verb

[with object]
  • care for and protect (someone or something) while they are growing: Jarrett was nurtured by his parents in a close-knit family
  • help or encourage the development of: my father nurtured my love of art
  • cherish (a hope, belief, or ambition): for a long time she had nurtured the dream of buying a shop

noun

[mass noun]
  • the action or process of nurturing someone or something: the nurture of children
  • upbringing, education, and environment, contrasted with inborn characteristics as an influence on or determinant of personality: we are all what nature and nurture have made usOften contrasted with nature

Derivatives

nurturer

noun

Origin:

Middle English: from Old French noureture 'nourishment', based on Latin nutrire 'feed, cherish'