nourish

[nur-ish, nuhr-]

verb (used with object)

1. to sustain with food or nutriment; supply with what is necessary for life, health, and growth.

2. to cherish, foster, keep alive, etc..

   He had long nourished the dream of living abroad.

3. to strengthen, build up, or promote.

   to nourish discontent among the workers; to nourish the arts in one's community.

   Synonyms: advance, back, aid, help, encourage
   Antonyms: discourage

nourish

/ ˈnʌrɪʃ /

verb

1. to provide with the materials necessary for life and growth

2. to support or encourage (an idea, feeling, etc); foster

   to nourish resentment

Other Word Forms

• nourishable adjective
• nourisher noun
• overnourish verb (used with object)
• renourish verb (used with object)
• self-nourished adjective
• unnourishable adjective
• unnourished adjective
• well-nourished adjective
• nourishing adjective
• nourishingly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of nourish¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English norisshe, from Old French noriss-, long stem of norir, from Latin nūtrīre “to feed”; nurse, -ish ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of nourish¹

C14: from Old French norir, from Latin nūtrīre to feed, care for

Synonym Study

See nurse.

Example Sentences

The prevailing wisdom says the American West was forged by flames that nourish the soil and naturally reduce the supply of dry fuels.

From Los Angeles Times

Her statement concluded: “In keeping it near, you keep his spirit alive — nourishing you with the peace, love, joy and light that embodied Malcolm-Jamal Warner.”

From Los Angeles Times

Some relationships do redemptively transform for the better and evolve into a much more nourishing and aligned version of however they existed before.

From Los Angeles Times

Dug was blown dry and finished off with a hotel-grade, organic cotton towel, rubbed with nourishing paw-balm and spritzed with “show dog” scent cologne.

From Los Angeles Times

Stay hydrated and nourished, because your multiplex chaperone duties aren’t truly over until early August or so, when the fare turns distinctively adult-themed before going full prestige in the child-unfriendly zone of fall awards season.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• cherish 
• cultivate 
• sustain 
• tend 

When To Use

What does nourish mean?

Nourish means to promote healthy growth—to do or provide what’s needed for someone or something to be healthy and to grow and develop.The word is most commonly used in relation to food. Healthy food nourishes us. Parents try to nourish their children by feeding them healthy foods. Sometimes, food is said to nourish more than the body, as in A warm, home-cooked meal nourishes the body and the spirit. However, nourish can be used in many other contexts, including those that don’t involve food, as in Education nourishes our minds. In the context of the growth and development of things, such as communities and relationships, nourish means to build up or promote, as in This grant is intended to nourish the local arts and culture scene. A more common synonym for this sense of the word is nurture.In all of these senses, nourish is a somewhat formal and perhaps poetic word—it usually means something loftier than feed.Less commonly, nourish can mean to cherish, foster, or keep alive, especially something abstract, like hopes or dreams. This isn’t always something positive—you can nourish a grudge, for example.The word nourished is often used as an adjective, including in terms like well nourished, poorly nourished, undernourished, and malnourished. Things that nourish can be described with the adjective nourishing. The noun nourishment can refer to the act of nourishing or to something that nourishes.Example: As a mother, it’s my job to nourish my kids physically, mentally, and emotionally.