Phrase guide

foster care

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A formal system by which a child is cared for, in a foster family, by people other than its own parents, but without being adopted.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

supervised care for delinquent or neglected children usually in an institution or substitute home

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: care, charge, tutelage, guardianship

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

15 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: acolliment familiar — system by which a child is cared for
  • Chinese Mandarin: 寄養 /寄养 (jìyǎng) — system by which a child is cared for
  • Chinese Mandarin: 家庭寄養 /家庭寄养 (jiātíng jìyǎng) — system by which a child is cared for
  • Dutch: pleegzorg — system by which a child is cared for
  • Finnish: perhehoito — system by which a child is cared for
  • French: accueil familial — system by which a child is cared for
  • Hungarian: nevelőszülő(k)nél történő elhelyezés — system by which a child is cared for
  • Irish: daltachas — system by which a child is cared for
  • Irish: cúram altrama — system by which a child is cared for
  • Korean: 가정위탁 (gajeong'witak) — system by which a child is cared for
  • Scottish Gaelic: daltachas — system by which a child is cared for
  • Scottish Gaelic: daltachd — system by which a child is cared for
  • Spanish: acogimiento familiar — system by which a child is cared for
  • Spanish: adopción temporánea — system by which a child is cared for
  • Turkish: yetiştirme yurdu — system by which a child is cared for