foster city: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very low outside geographical contextsFormal (Geographical/Administrative), Neutral (when referring to the place)
Quick answer
What does “foster city” mean?
A city in San Mateo County, California, USA, founded in the 1960s as a planned community.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A city in San Mateo County, California, USA, founded in the 1960s as a planned community.
A proper noun referring specifically to that geographical and administrative entity. The term can be used metonymically to refer to planned, suburban, or corporate-centric communities, especially in a Silicon Valley context.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In British English, it is known purely as a foreign place name. In American English, particularly Californian context, it carries specific geographical and cultural connotations.
Connotations
UK: Neutral foreign toponym. US: Connotes planned suburbia, affluence, corporate campuses (especially Visa), and San Francisco Bay Area geography.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in UK English except in travel or business contexts related to Silicon Valley. Low-to-medium frequency in Northern California American English.
Grammar
How to Use “foster city” in a Sentence
[Proper Noun] is located in [Region][Person/Entity] is based in Foster Citythe [Entity] of Foster CityVocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
"Visa's global headquarters are located in Foster City."
Academic
"The urban planning of Foster City was studied as a model for post-war suburban development."
Everyday
"We're going to a concert at the park in Foster City this weekend."
Technical
"The Foster City levee system requires constant maintenance due to its built-on-bayfill foundation."
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “foster city”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “foster city”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “foster city”
- Uncapitalized: 'foster city'
- Using it as a common noun: 'We need to foster city development.' (This is a parsing error)
- Confusing it with the verb 'foster'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. As a common phrase, it does not have this meaning. 'Foster City' is a proper noun naming a specific place. The verb 'foster' can be used with 'city' (e.g., 'policies to foster city growth'), but this is not a set phrase.
Yes, always. It is part of a proper noun, just like 'New' in New York or 'Las' in Las Vegas.
In American English: F AW - st er S IH - tee (/ˈfɔːstɚ ˈsɪti/). The first vowel can sound like 'aw' in 'law' or 'ah' in 'father' depending on region. In British English: F O - st uh S I - tee (/ˈfɒstə ˈsɪti/).
Yes, but its use is geographically specific. You can use it as an example of a 'planned community', a 'corporate suburb', or 'land reclaimed from a bay'. Outside these contexts, it simply refers to the location.
A city in San Mateo County, California, USA, founded in the 1960s as a planned community.
Foster city is usually formal (geographical/administrative), neutral (when referring to the place) in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No idioms specific to the proper noun]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Foster City: Think of a city 'fostered' or carefully developed on reclaimed land, like a child being nurtured.
Conceptual Metaphor
CITY IS A PLANNED ENTITY / CITY IS A CORPORATE HUB
Practice
Quiz
What is 'Foster City' primarily?