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How did the term "foster care" or "foster parents" come about, was Foster a person?

Question #117702. Asked by 29CoveRoad.
Last updated Aug 09 2017.

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abechstein star
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abechstein star
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Answer has 5 votes.

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No, "fostering" in this sense comes from an Old English word meaning "to provide with food or support", and dates to about the 13th century.
Old English *fostrian "to supply with food, nourish, support," from fostor "food, nourishment, bringing up," from Proto-Germanic *fostra-, from extended form of PIE root *pa- "to feed."

Meaning "to bring up a child with parental care" is from c. 1200; that of "to encourage or help grow" is early 13c. of things; 1560s of feelings, ideas, etc. Old English also had the word as an adjective meaning "in the same family but not related," in fostorfæder, fostorcild, fostormodoretc. Related: Fostered; fostering.

link http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=foster

Response last updated by Terry on Aug 09 2017.
Sep 22 2010, 12:37 AM
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