upbringing
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
the way you were treated and the things you were taught by your parents while growing up.
the care and training a child receives while growing up, specifically regarding social and moral development.
Simple“Her strict upbringing meant she always had to be home by eight o'clock.”
In context“His rural upbringing instilled in him a deep appreciation for the natural world that later influenced his architectural designs.”
UsageUsually singular; often modified by adjectives like 'strict', 'religious', or 'sheltered'.
Teacher's tipLearners often confuse this with 'education'. Remind them that upbringing happens at home with family, while education happens at school.
PitfallHe had a very good education at home. He had a very good upbringing.Use 'upbringing' for the social and moral lessons from parents; 'education' usually refers to school and academic learning.
upbringing vs education — Education happens in a classroom or through study, while upbringing is the way parents raise a child at home.
“He also says he thought a lot about his upbringing when building the film's virus-stricken world.”
“His chaotic upbringing is a matter of record.”
From Middle English upbringinge, equivalent to upbring + -ing.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.