garden

1 of 3

noun

gar·​den ˈgär-dᵊn 

plural gardens

1

a

: a plot of ground where herbs, fruits, flowers, or vegetables are cultivated

b

: a rich well-cultivated region

c

: a container (such as a window box) planted with usually a variety of small plants

2

a

: a public recreation area or park usually ornamented with plants and trees

a botanical garden

b

: an open-air eating or drinking place

c

: a large hall for public entertainment

gardenful

ˈgär-dᵊn-ˌfu̇l 

noun

see also garden apartment, garden level

garden

2 of 3

verb

gardened; gardening ˈgär-də-niŋ 

ˈgärd-niŋ

intransitive verb

: to lay out or work in a garden

transitive verb

1

: to make into a garden

2

: to ornament with gardens

garden

3 of 3

adjective

1

: of, relating to, used in, or frequenting a garden

a garden gate

a garden hose

garden pests

2

: of a kind typically grown in gardens

garden phlox

also : suitable for growth in an outdoor garden especially due to hardiness

garden chrysanthemums

3

: commonly found : garden-variety

Synonyms

Noun

• amphitheater
• arena
• auditorium
• hall
• theater
• theatre

Examples of garden in a Sentence

Noun

We planted a small garden in our backyard.

They were sitting out in the back garden.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The makeover, budgeted for $42 million including $35 million for construction, also includes an amphitheater, a butterfly garden, six tennis courts, a children’s playground, a dog park, a boardwalk, covered pavilions, outdoor workout equipment, and an amphitheater. —Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 22 May 2025

The resort team has planted only native flora on the premises and is working on a larger replanting effort, creating a wild garden near Asaya Spa. —Maya Kachroo-Levine, Travel + Leisure, 22 May 2025

Verb

Kids playing in the soil or adults gardening without gloves who then touch their face or eat can accidentally consume contaminated soil. —Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2025

The garden now has 108 plots for vegetables and flowers in three different sizes, and some of them are raised high enough for older folks or people with back injuries to garden without bending. —Lonnie Burstein Hewitt, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 May 2025

Adjective

Wilma was a lifelong member of the United Methodist Church, and a member of many social, civic and garden groups. —Orlando Sentinel, OrlandoSentinel.com, 8 Feb. 2018

Garden categories include vegetables, fruit, flowers and miscellaneous items such as gourds, pumpkins and sunflowers. —Courant Community, 29 Aug. 2017

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English gardyn, borrowed from Anglo-French gardyn, gardeyn, jardin, from Old French jart, (Picard and French Flanders) gart "garden" (going back to Old Low Franconian *garda- "enclosure, fence" going back to Germanic *garđa-, whence Old Saxon gard "garden, dwelling, world," Old High German gart "enclosure," Old English geard "fence, enclosure") + -in, probably adjective suffix (going back to Latin -īnus -ine entry 1), originally in Gallo-Romance *hortus gardīnus "enclosed garden" — more at yard entry 1

Verb

derivative of garden entry 1

Adjective

Middle English gardyn, attributive use of gardyn garden entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

circa 1558, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing garden

• botanical garden
• botanic garden
• common or garden
• garden apartment
• garden chair
• garden city
• garden cress
• garden heliotrope
• garden hose
• garden level
• garden party
• garden rocket
• garden salad
• garden-variety
• kitchen garden
• knot garden
• lead one down the garden path
• lead one up the garden path
• lead (someone) down/up the garden path
• market garden
• rock garden
• roof garden
• tea garden
• water garden
• zoological garden

Rhymes for garden

• cardan
• pardon

Kids Definition

garden

1 of 3 noun

gar·​den ˈgärd-ᵊn 

1

: a plot of ground where herbs, fruits, flowers, or vegetables are grown

2

a

: a public recreation area or park usually ornamented with plants and trees

a botanical garden

b

: an open-air eating or drinking place

garden

2 of 3 verb

gardened; gardening ˈgärd-niŋ 

-ᵊn-iŋ

1

: to lay out or work in a garden

2

: to make into a garden

garden

3 of 3 adjective

1

: of, relating to, used in, or frequenting gardens

2

: of a kind grown under cultivation especially in the open

garden plants