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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Bondi Boost Brunette Booster Shampoo contains blue pigments to counteract brassy hues, while a botanical blend nourishes the hair on multiple fronts. Jenny Berg, Allure, 20 Nov. 2024 Some primers even have added skincare benefits to nourish the skin and really make your makeup pop. Lauren Valenti, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2024 Cargill Cargill is committed to providing food, ingredients, agricultural solutions, and industrial products to nourish the world in a safe, responsible, and sustainable way. Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024 Most gardeners welcome a gentle rain to nourish lawns and gardens, wash away unwanted pollen, and freshen the air. Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 30 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for nourish 

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 26 Nov. 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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!