nourish

verb

nour·​ish ˈnər-ish How to pronounce nourish (audio)
ˈnə-rish
nourished; nourishing; nourishes

transitive verb

1
: nurture, rear
… to save my boy, to nourish and bring him up …Shakespeare
2
: to promote the growth of
no occasions to exercise the feelings nor nourish passionL. O. Coxe
nourished soccer as a sport in this country
needed to nourish his spiritual life
3
a
: to furnish or sustain with nutriment : feed
Plants are nourished by rain and soil.
b
: maintain, support
their profits … nourish other criminal activitiesBeverly Smith
nourisher noun

Examples of nourish in a Sentence

Vitamins are added to the shampoo to nourish the hair. a friendship nourished by trust
Recent Examples on the Web It’s been known for decades that some live-bearing caecilian species produce a secretion in their oviducts to nourish their young internally, thanks to earlier research from Wake. Popular Science, 7 Mar. 2024 Freedom is the only condition in which diversity can be nourished, and people can show an image of themselves that truly correspond to their intimate self. Caterina De Biasio, Vogue, 6 Mar. 2024 Learn more about Perdue Farms’ commitment to nourishing communities in need and the history of their partnership with Feeding America, through the company initiative Delivering Hope To Our Neighbors® This story was originally published February 29, 2024, 10:45 AM. Michelle Prado, Miami Herald, 29 Feb. 2024 The formula is super thick, and a little bit goes a long way to deeply nourish strands. Alyssa Brascia, Peoplemag, 29 Feb. 2024 Then, refuel with nourishing meals featuring local ingredients (the property grows 500 varieties of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and florals) and hit the hot springs to soothe your sore muscles. Julia Eskins, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 2024 Add this Bioderma micellar water to your cart to help remove makeup and gently cleanse your skin, or try this nourishing CeraVe moisturizer to combat winter dryness (and because Michael Cera’s Super Bowl commercial reigned supreme over all others). Clara McMahon, Peoplemag, 16 Feb. 2024 The torrent of capital rushing to America to nourish the beast grew into a tsunami. Yanis Varoufakis, Fortune, 11 Feb. 2024 The best part is that its formulation contains a botanical blend of white waterlily, gardenia and lotus, which helps to nourish and soothe the skin with each application. Denise Primbet, Glamour, 8 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nourish.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English nurishen, from Anglo-French nuriss-, stem of nurrir, norrir, from Latin nutrire to suckle, nourish; akin to Greek nan to flow, noteros damp, Sanskrit snauti it drips

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of nourish was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near nourish

Cite this Entry

“Nourish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nourish. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

nourish

verb
nour·​ish ˈnər-ish How to pronounce nourish (audio)
ˈnə-rish
1
: to promote the growth or development of
2
a
: to provide with food : feed
plants nourished by rain and soil
b
: to provide for : support, maintain
a friendship nourished by trust

Medical Definition

nourish

transitive verb
: to furnish or sustain with nutriment : feed

More from Merriam-Webster on nourish

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