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

Dyment was instrumental in fundraising for the construction of new buildings, including a state-of-the-art nursery and an event space, which was recently expanded to include an outdoor patio. —Lou Ponsi, Orange County Register, 11 Feb. 2025

Each stay includes daily meals and snacks, childcare and postpartum classes, and access to a nursery and luxurious mothers’ lounge. —Dominique Fluker, Essence, 11 Feb. 2025

And that’s before the economic benefits of having his own hatchery and nursery, as well as staff whose dollars remain in the local area, creating a stronger economy in the process. —Joe Minihane, CNN, 22 Jan. 2025

Antique items are part of what’s left on display across the nursery’s walls: A scale that’s been there since the nursery opened. —Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 13 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

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