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

Some production nurseries cut off all side growth along the trunk to quickly force a large canopy to develop on top. —Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 17 Oct. 2024

Designing the perfect nursery is more important than ever these days. —Amanda Lauren, Forbes, 17 Oct. 2024

Unfortunately, his young girlfriend slashes her throat in the Forms’ nursery while clutching the brand-new doll. —Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 6 Oct. 2024

They’re used to being drip irrigated in the nursery, tend to be way too big for their pots, and for even the most seasoned of gardeners, can be a challenge to keep looking fresh, healthy, and colorful. —Paul Cappiello, The Courier-Journal, 4 Oct. 2024

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

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