# foment

> English word · Verb · IPA /fəʊˈmɛnt/ · frequency rank #59,398

## Definitions
1. To incite or cause troublesome acts; to encourage; to instigate.
2. To apply a poultice to; to bathe with a cloth or sponge.

## Etymology
From Middle English fomenten, a borrowing from Old French fomenter, from Late Latin fōmentāre, from Latin fōmentum (“lotion”), from fovēre (“heat, cherish”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/foment