## Meanings
1. To give someone confidence, hope, or support
2. To strongly suggest or persuade someone to do something
3. To help something develop or grow

## Examples
- I encouraged him throughout the race.
- We encourage everyone to cycle into the town centre.
- The royal family has always encouraged the arts.

## Derived Forms
- disencourage
- encourageable
- encouragement
- encourager
- encouraging
- encouragingly
- overencourage
- reencourage

## Related Forms
- courage

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: encouragen
- Root: encoragier
- Affix: en- - in, into

## Etymology
From Middle English encouragen, encoragen, from Anglo-Norman encoragier, from Old French encoragier. Displaced native Old English hiertan, tyhtan, and trymman. By surface analysis, en- + courage.

## AI Etymology
Encourage comes from Middle English encouragen, encoragen, from Anglo-Norman encoragier, from Old French encoragier. Displaced native Old English hiertan, tyhtan, and trymman. By surface analysis, en- + courage. In current use, the main senses are “To give someone confidence, hope, or support” and “To strongly suggest or persuade someone to do something”.

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