fosterage: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal, Academic, Historical
Quick answer
What does “fosterage” mean?
The act of fostering a child, or the condition of being fostered.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The act of fostering a child, or the condition of being fostered.
The act of promoting the growth, development, or well-being of something; encouragement. A less common usage refers to a feudal custom where a noble's child was raised in another household.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or spelling.
Connotations
Slightly stronger historical/archaic connotation in British English, particularly regarding the feudal custom.
Frequency
Rare in both varieties, but slightly more likely to appear in British historical writing.
Grammar
How to Use “fosterage” in a Sentence
[Subject: system/custom/practice] + of + fosterageenter into + fosterage + (with [person])in + [possessive] + fosterageVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “fosterage” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The council will fosterage the child's development. (INCORRECT - use 'foster')
American English
- The system is designed to fosterage young talent. (INCORRECT - use 'foster')
adverb
British English
- The child was raised fosteragely. (NON-EXISTENT)
American English
- He was treated fosteragely by the family. (NON-EXISTENT)
adjective
British English
- The fosterage child was well-cared for. (INCORRECT - use 'foster child')
American English
- They discussed fosterage care standards. (INCORRECT - use 'foster care')
Usage
Meaning in Context
Academic
Used in sociology, history, and law to describe systems of non-biological child-rearing.
Everyday
Very rare in everyday conversation.
Technical
Used in social work and legal contexts relating to child welfare systems.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “fosterage”
Strong
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “fosterage”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “fosterage”
- Using it interchangeably with 'adoption' (fosterage is usually temporary; adoption is permanent).
- Misspelling as 'forsterage'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In modern contexts, they are largely synonymous nouns. 'Fostering' is more common in everyday language, while 'fosterage' sounds more formal or historical.
No. The correct verb is 'to foster'. 'Fosterage' is exclusively a noun.
Primarily yes, but it can be used metaphorically for the encouragement of ideas, arts, or talents, though this is rare.
Use it as a noun, often preceded by 'the', 'a', or a possessive pronoun (e.g., 'his fosterage', 'the ancient system of fosterage').
The act of fostering a child, or the condition of being fostered.
Fosterage is usually formal, academic, historical in register.
Fosterage: in British English it is pronounced /ˈfɒstərɪdʒ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈfɑːstərɪdʒ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None directly. Related: 'in care', 'to foster (a talent)'”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of FOSTER as a verb (to care for). FOSTER-AGE is the noun for the state or period of that care.
Conceptual Metaphor
NURTURE IS GROWTH (Fosterage provides the conditions for a person or idea to grow).
Practice
Quiz
The term 'fosterage' is most precisely used to refer to: