Origin: Latin suffix -ment
Encouragement has 4 different meanings across 1 category:
the expression of approval and support
"Her words of encouragement gave me the confidence to try again after my failure."
the act of giving hope or support to someone
"Her words of encouragement gave me the strength to keep trying even when things seemed impossible."
the feeling of being encouraged
"Her supportive words filled me with a deep sense of encouragement as I faced my first marathon."
The act of encouraging
"She offered him words of encouragement to help him through his difficult exam."
The word entered English from Middle French as encoragement, where it originally referred to the act of giving courage or support. Over time, this borrowed term came to mean the general expression of approval and motivation that we use today.