Meaning

noun encouragement; aiding the development of something

noun helping someone grow up to be an accepted member of the community

originEtymology tree English foster Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂tos Proto-Italic *-ātos Latin -ātus Proto-Indo-European *-ikos Proto-Italic *-ikos Latin -icus Latin -āticus Latin -āticum Old French -agebor. Middle English -age English -age English fosterage From foster + -age.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0