text: The word is derived from the Latin root alere meaning `` to nurse , to rear , or to nourish '' , and refers to the need for young to be fed and taken care of for a long duration .
simplified: The word is derived from the Latin root alere meaning `` to nurse , to rear , or to nourish '' , which means that young has to be taken care of for a long time before it can overcome its helplessness .