Upbringings

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈʌpˌbrɪŋɪŋz/

Definitions

1. The process of raising or educating a child from infancy to adulthood, including the values and beliefs instilled during this time
2. Refers to the various methods and experiences involved in nurturing a young person as they grow and develop their identity
3. The influence of familial, cultural, and social factors on a child's development and the manner in which they are brought up

Etymology: "Upbringings" is simply the plural of "upbringing," the noun for the way a child is raised. The base word is a compound of "up" and "bring," and the "-ing" ending turns the verb into a noun for the process or result of bringing someone up. "Upbring" was a Middle English verb meaning to rear or bring up a child, and the noun grew from it in the same period, with the spelling "upbringinge" appearing in Middle English. The phrase "bring up" in its sense of rearing children goes back to the same root idea of physically bringing something up, as one might lift or raise a thing. Over time, the sense moved from nurturing a person to the whole environment that shapes them. Because the noun names the process rather than a single act, its plural naturally refers to different people's childhoods and the varied ways those childhoods were shaped.

Synonyms: nurtures, raisings