noun
foster parents; godparents
Refers to adults who raise a child in place of the biological parents, including both foster parents and godparents. The term is not limited to legal foster care; it can also refer to informal guardianship or spiritual sponsorship.
彼女は幼い頃に両親を亡くし、養い親に育てられた。
She lost her parents when she was little and was raised by foster parents.
洗礼式では、養い親が子供の信仰の成長を見守る役割を担う。
At the baptism, the godparents take on the role of watching over the child's spiritual growth.
Compound of 養い (yashinai, 'raising, fostering') + 親 (oya, 'parent'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term has been used to refer to non-biological caregivers.