nursery

noun

nurs·​ery ˈnər-s(ə-)rē How to pronounce nursery (audio)
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
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

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 See all Example Sentences for nursery 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nursery.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of nursery was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near nursery

Cite this Entry

“Nursery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nursery. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

nursery

noun
nurs·​ery ˈnərs-(ə-)rē How to pronounce nursery (audio)
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 How to pronounce nursery (audio)
plural nurseries
: the department of a hospital where newborn infants are cared for

More from Merriam-Webster on nursery

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