Food, Fodder and Foster Share One Root
Food is what living things eat. The same ancient root gave words for animal feed and for raising a child.
Food is any substance consumed to provide nourishment. Old English *foda* sits in a family built on the idea of nourishing: *fodder* is what animals eat, *feed* is the verb, and *foster* originally meant to nourish a child — a foster parent is one who feeds. The same root reaches Latin *pascere*, to graze, giving *pasture* and *pastor*, a shepherd who feeds a flock. *Food for thought* is recorded from the 1820s.
- Nourishment. *Fresh food.*
- Fodder — animal feed. *Fodder.*
- Foster — to nourish. *A foster parent.*
- Food for thought. *Food for thought.*
- Old English — *foda*. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | food | Food. |
| Related | feed | To feed. |
| Related | fodder | Fodder. |
| Related | foster | To foster. |
| Old English | foda | Food. |
- They shared what food they had.Nourishment.
- Fodder is stored for winter.Animals.
- Foster once meant to nourish.Etymology.
The nourishing family
- Food — what nourishes
- Fodder — what nourishes animals
- Feed — the verb
- Foster — to nourish and raise a child
- Pastor and pasture — from Latin *pascere*, to graze
Old English *foda*, of Germanic origin, from a root meaning to nourish, related to Latin *pascere*.
Are food and foster related?
Yes. Foster originally meant to nourish, from the same root as food and fodder. A foster parent is one who feeds a child.
Is pastor part of the same family?
Yes, through Latin pascere, to graze. A pastor is a shepherd, one who feeds the flock.