nursery

noun

nurs·​ery ˈnər-s(ə-)rē 

plural nurseries

1

obsolete : attentive care : fosterage

2

a

: a child's bedroom

b

: a place where children are temporarily cared for in their parents' absence

c

: day nursery

3

a

: something that fosters, develops, or promotes

b

: a place in which persons are trained or educated

4

: an area where plants are grown for transplanting, for use as stocks for budding and grafting, or for sale

5

: a place where young animals grow or are cared for

Synonyms

• breeding ground
• hotbed
• hothouse
• nest
• nidus
• seedbed
• seminary

Examples of nursery in a Sentence

She still needs to decorate the nursery before the baby comes.

We get our flowers from a local nursery.

Recent Examples on the Web

Others blend in with the design of car seats or perhaps a nursery. —Bestreviews, The Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2025

Anand and her team work with clients across the United States on residential, commercial, and hospitality design projects of various sizes, from creating a nursery fit for a princess to reimagining the interiors of a 7,000-square-foot contemporary residence. —Dan Howarth, Architectural Digest, 25 Feb. 2025

Members could share techniques and operate a nursery to produce suitable varieties of coffee plants and shade trees. —Peter S. Goodman, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2025

Yulia told Newsweek that the 10-by-8-foot nursery, equipped with a cot, rocking chair, and storage, cost a few grand to build. —Justin Gest, Newsweek, 11 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing nursery

• day nursery
• nursery rhyme
• nursery school
• nursery slope

Rhymes for nursery

• bursary
• cursory
• anniversary

Kids Definition

nursery

noun

nurs·​ery ˈnərs-(ə-)rē 

plural nurseries

1

a

: a child's bedroom

b

: a place where children are temporarily cared for in their parents' absence

2

: a place where plants (as trees or shrubs) are grown for transplanting, for use as stocks in grafting, or for sale

Medical Definition

nursery

noun

nurs·​ery ˈnərs-(ə-)rē 

plural nurseries

: the department of a hospital where newborn infants are cared for