Encourage

Pronunciation

• RP IPA: /ɪnˈkʌɹɪdÊ’/
• GenAm IPA: /ɪnˈkɝɹɪdÊ’/
• Hyphenation: en + cour + age

Origin

Middle English encoragen, from Anglo-Norman encoragier, from Old French encoragier from - + corage "courage". Displaced native Middle English belden, bielden ("to encourage") (from Old English bieldan ("to encourage")), Middle English bealden, balden ("to encourage") (from Old English bealdian ("to encourage, make bold")), Middle English herten ("to encourage, enhearten") (from Old English hiertan, hyrtan ("to enhearten")), Old English elnian ("to encourage, strengthen").

Full definition of encourage

Verb

1. To mentally support; to motivate, give courage, hope or spirit.I encouraged him during his race.
2. To spur on, strongly recommend.We encourage the use of bicycles in the town centre.
3. To foster, give help or patronage''The royal family has always encouraged the arts in word and deed

Synonyms

• bield

Antonyms

• discourage

Derived terms

• encouragement
• encouraging
• encouragingly

Related terms

• courage