nest

1 of 2

noun

ˈnest 

1

a

: a bed or receptacle prepared by an animal and especially a bird for its eggs and young

b

: a place or specially modified structure serving as an abode of animals and especially of their immature stages

an ants' nest

c

: a receptacle resembling a bird's nest

2

a

: a place of rest, retreat, or lodging : home

grown children who have left the nest

b

: den, hangout

3

: the occupants or frequenters of a nest

4

a

: a group of similar things

a nest of giant mountains

—Helen MacInnes

b

: hotbed sense 2

a nest of rebellion

5

: a group of objects made to fit close together or one within another

6

: an emplaced group of weapons

nest

2 of 2

verb

nested; nesting; nests

intransitive verb

1

: to build or occupy a nest : settle in or as if in a nest

2

: to fit compactly together or within one another : embed

transitive verb

1

: to form a nest for

2

: to pack compactly together

3

: to form a hierarchy, series, or sequence of with each member, element, or set contained in or containing the next

nested subroutines

Synonyms

Noun

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

Examples of nest in a Sentence

Noun

The bird built a nest out of small twigs.

If you look closely, you can see a nest in that tree.

They lived in a cozy little nest in the suburbs.

Verb

Robins nested in the tree.

She studied the nesting habits of the turtle.

The set of four chairs can nest into one stack.

The smaller bowl is designed to nest inside the larger one.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Across the coasts of our region, both Atlantic and Gulf, sea turtles make their nests and hatchlings make their way back to the ocean. —Katie Akin, Southern Living, 10 May 2025

The nests were counted by an army of volunteers, park staff, local councils, land managers and contractors who conducted 5,000 observations this season, officials said. —Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 7 May 2025

Verb

Before the dramatic drop, 500 to 800 piping plover pairs nested in the Great Lakes, according to the Great Lakes Piping Plover Conservation Team. —Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 12 May 2025

Currently, the couple is nesting and preparing for their baby with the help of a loving village. —Dominique Fluker, Essence, 11 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High German nest nest, Latin nidus

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

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

Phrases Containing nest

• bird's-nest fern
• bird's nest soup
• crow's nest
• empty-nest syndrome
• feather one's nest
• hornet's nest
• leave/flee the nest
• love nest
• mare's nest
• nest egg

Rhymes for nest

• blessed
• blest
• breast
• chest
• crest
• dressed
• fest
• gest
• geste
• guessed
• jest
• lest

Kids Definition

nest

1 of 2 noun

ˈnest 

1

a

: a place or structure where eggs are laid and hatched or young are raised

a turtle's nest

the nest of a bird

a mouse's nest

b

: the home or shelter of an animal (as a squirrel or chimpanzee)

2

a

: a place of rest, retreat, or lodging : home

grown children who have left the nest

b

: den sense 2, hangout

the robbers' nest

3

: the occupants of a nest

a nest of baby birds

4

: a group of objects made to fit one within another

a nest of measuring cups

nest

2 of 2 verb

1

: to build or live in a nest

robins nested in the tree

2

: to fit compactly together or within one another

a set of tables that nest for storage

Medical Definition

nest

noun

ˈnest 

: an isolated collection or clump of cells in tissue of a different structure

a nest of sarcomatous cells