fosterage

American  

[faw-ster-ij, fos-ter-] / ˈfɔ stər ɪdʒ, ˈfɒs tər- /

noun

1. the act of fostering or rearing another's child as one's own.

2. the condition of being a foster child.

3. an act of promoting or encouraging.

   The board will undertake the fosterage of our new project.

---

fosterage British  

/ ˈfɒstərɪdʒ /

noun

1. the act of caring for or bringing up a foster child

2. the condition or state of being a foster child

3. the act of encouraging or promoting

---

Etymology

Origin of fosterage

First recorded in 1605–15; foster + -age

Example Sentences

O my son, by the rights of my fosterage and by my long service to thee, I conjure thee pardon this young lady, for indeed she hath done nothing deserving such doom.

From The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 01 by Burton, Richard Francis, Sir

The Celtic custom of fosterage is overlooked, and Merlin gives the child to Anton, not as the customary dalt, but to preserve the babe from danger.

From Alfred Tennyson by Lang, Andrew

However, by the Celtic custom of fosterage the infant is intrusted to Sir Ector as his dalt, or foster-child, and Uther falls in battle.

From Alfred Tennyson by Lang, Andrew

John Loptson of Oddi, the grandson of Sæmund the Wise, took him into fosterage.

From The Elder Eddas of Saemund Sigfusson; and the Younger Eddas of Snorre Sturleson by Saemund Sigfusson

Irish Memories shows incidentally how great a part this fosterage played in the Ross of yesterday—that family with its multitude of children was bound to the countryside by all the "Nursies."

From Irish Books and Irish People by Gwynn, Stephen Lucius