nurture

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
nurture /ˈnəːtʃə/

▶verb

• 1 rear and encourage the development of (a child).

• 2 cherish (a hope, belief, or ambition).

▶noun

• 1 the action or process of nurturing.

• 2 upbringing, education, and environment as an influence on or determinant of personality. Often contrasted with nature.

– derivatives
nurturance noun,
nurturant adjective,
nurturer noun.

– origin ME: from OFr. noureture ‘nourishment’, based on L. nutrire ‘feed, cherish’.