verb

fomentar

encourage

Impulsar o apoyar que algo crezca, se desarrolle o se haga más frecuente.

Definition & meaning

The verb fomentar generally means to encourage, promote, foster, or stimulate the development or growth of something, such as an idea, a feeling, a practice, or a process.

Depending on the context, it can have two main nuances:

To promote or encourage: To support or provide the necessary conditions for something to develop (e.g., fostering economic growth or healthy habits).
To stir up or incite: In a more negative sense, it can mean to provoke or trigger something undesirable (e.g., stirring up conflict or discord).

Grammar & Word origin

Grammar:

fomentar is a regular -ar verb.
It is a transitive verb, meaning it requires a direct object (the thing being fostered or promoted).

Word origin:

The word comes from the Latin verb fomentare, which is derived from fomentum. In ancient medicine, a fomentum was a warm compress or poultice applied to the body to soothe pain or promote healing (derived from fovere, meaning "to heat" or "to cherish"). Over time, the meaning evolved from physically applying heat to a wound to figuratively "warming up" or encouraging the growth of abstract concepts like ideas or social movements.