nurse

noun

\ˈnərs

Definition of nurse

(Entry 1 of 3)

1a : a woman who suckles an infant not her own : wet nurse

b : a woman who takes care of a young child : dry nurse

2 : one that looks after, fosters, or advises Time is the nurse and breeder of all good.— Shakespeare

3 : a person who cares for the sick or infirm specifically : a licensed health-care professional who practices independently or is supervised by a physician, surgeon, or dentist and who is skilled in promoting and maintaining health — compare licensed practical nurse, registered nurse

4a : a worker form of a social (see social entry 1 sense 4b) insect (such as an ant or a bee) that cares for the young

b : a female mammal used to suckle (see suckle sense 1a) the young of another a nurse cow

nurse

verb

nursed; nursing

Definition of nurse (Entry 2 of 3)

transitive verb

1a : to nourish at the breast : suckle

b : to take nourishment from the breast of

2 : rear, educate

3a : to promote the development or progress of

b : to manage with care or economy nursed the business through hard times nursed a 1–0 lead

c : to take charge of and watch over

4a : to care for and wait on (someone, such as a sick person)

b : to attempt to cure by care and treatment

5 : to hold in one's memory or consideration nurse a grievance

6a : to use, handle, or operate carefully so as to conserve energy or avoid injury or pain nurse a sprained ankle

b : to use sparingly

c : to consume slowly or over a long period nurse a cup of coffee

intransitive verb

1a : to feed an offspring from the breast

b : to feed at the breast : suck

2 : to act or serve as a nurse

Nurse

biographical name

\ˈnərs

Definition of Nurse (Entry 3 of 3)

Sir Paul Maxime 1949– British geneticist

Other Words from nurse Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about nurse

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Examples of nurse in a Sentence

Noun

The nurse will take your blood pressure before the doctor sees you. Nurse, may I have some water?

Verb

She is nursing her son through his illness. The couple nursed the business through hard times. He nursed the farm back to productivity. The team nursed a 1–0 lead until the last inning. The dog nursed her puppies. The baby nursed for several months. The puppies nursed for eight weeks.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

DeepMind Health is responsible for a range of health care projects in the UK, including the Streams app, which is used by a small number of doctors and nurses working in the UK’s National Health Service (NHS). — James Vincent, The Verge, "Privacy advocates sound the alarm after Google grabs DeepMind UK health app," 14 Nov. 2018 At the session, a nurse ran through a curriculum about recognizing the signs of postpartum depression. — Sarah Kliff, Vox, "Sit in a circle. Talk to other pregnant women. Save your baby’s life?," 2 Nov. 2018 Some are full-grown women in suits and sneakers or heels or nurse’s uniforms or smocks with CVS name tags pinned on. — Kimberly Cutter, Marie Claire, "New York City Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen Is Making Her Hometown the Best Place on Earth for Women," 24 Oct. 2018 This kind of set up isn’t uncommon, med spas and salons with nurses or physician's assistants on staff regularly offer fillers on their menu of services. — Macaela Mackenzie, Allure, "An Australian Woman's Botched Facial Fillers May Have Caused Blindness in One Eye," 24 Aug. 2018 The picture on the cover is a young woman who’s a nurse here. — Sarah Khan, Condé Nast Traveler, "Driving On Her Own in Saudi Arabia," 17 Aug. 2018 Amenities that create a healthy work environment and promote a culture of wellness—something nurses want to model for their patients—also decreases staff turnover, a big plus for health care institutions. — Patrick Sisson, Curbed, "How urban planners can promote health and wellness," 25 July 2018 In 1966, the city of Chicago awoke to the shocking news that eight student nurses had been brutally slain during the night in a South Side dormitory. — BostonGlobe.com, "This day in history," 14 July 2018 Those interested in serving as a substitute teacher, secretary, custodian, food service worker, bus driver, bus attendant, school nurse or health assistant should submit an online application by July 27. — Staff Report, Post-Tribune, "Community news," 13 July 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

The pair, who have two sons, Kaden, eight, and Knox, two, originally planned to wed straight away but delayed it until after Boland had finished nursing school. — Fox News, "Minnesota firefighter leaves his own wedding to battle blaze," 27 Sep. 2018 Staying inside the cave for several nights, Dr. Pak nursed the team back to health in preparation for their escape. — Time, "Meet the Heroes Who Helped Keep 12 Boys Alive in a Flooded Thailand Cave," 11 July 2018 Staying inside the cave for several nights, Dr. Pak nursed the team back to health in preparation for their escape. — SI.com, "These People Helped Keep Thai Soccer Team Alive in Flooded Cave," 11 July 2018 But never able to obtain a commission in the British regular army, Washington nursed an adolescent-style grudge that blossomed into rebellion in the 1770s. — Gregory S. Schneider, Washington Post, "How not being a father made George Washington the father of his country," 16 June 2018 In one instance, nursing staff left 29 pills used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder on top of a refrigerator. — Fred Clasen-kelly And Cassie Cope, charlotteobserver, "Teens in NC psych center were choked, zip-tied, faced 'imminent danger,' state says," 5 June 2018 As originally reported by NBC News affiliate WDSU, nursing student named Jade Payadue posted a series of transcripts, letters, and other documents between various University of Holy Cross faculty and herself, all regarding her hair. — Brooklyn White, Teen Vogue, "University of Holy Cross Nursing Student Leaves After Being Criticized for Natural Hair," 29 May 2018 Ivan Perisic, who scored his side's equaliser and set up Mario Mandzukic's winner against England on Wednesday, is nursing a thigh injury. — Afp, chicagotribune.com, "Rakitic: Croatia will bring 'excess power and energy' to World Cup final," 13 July 2018 Speedy Ortiz frontwoman Sadie Dupuis is nursing a sore back. — David Brusie, BostonGlobe.com, "Fast times for Speedy Ortiz," 21 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'nurse.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for nurse

Noun

Middle English norice, norce, nurse, from Anglo-French nurice, from Late Latin nutricia, from Latin, feminine of nutricius nourishing — more at nutritious

Verb

Middle English nurshen to suckle, nourish, contraction of nurishen

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Dictionary Entries near nurse

Statistics for nurse

Last Updated

18 Nov 2018

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for nurse

The first known use of nurse was in the 13th century

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More Definitions for nurse

nurse

noun

English Language Learners Definition of nurse

(Entry 1 of 2)

: a person who is trained to care for sick or injured people and who usually works in a hospital or doctor's office

: a woman who is paid to take care of a young child usually in the child's home

nurse

verb

English Language Learners Definition of nurse (Entry 2 of 2)

: to take care of or help (someone who is sick or injured)

: to give special care or attention to (something) : to try to keep (something) from failing

: to feed (a baby or young animal) with milk from the mother's body

See the full definition for nurse in the English Language Learners Dictionary

nurse

noun

\ˈnərs

Kids Definition of nurse

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a person skilled or trained in caring for sick or injured people

2 : a woman employed for the care of a young child

nurse

verb

nursed; nursing

Kids Definition of nurse (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : to feed at the breast : suckle

2 : to take care of (as a young child or a sick person) She nursed me back to health.

3 : to treat with special care or attention Nurse that ankle until it's all healed.

nurse

noun

\ˈnərs

Medical Definition of nurse

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a woman who suckles an infant not her own : wet nurse

2 : a person who cares for the sick or infirm specifically : a licensed health-care professional who practices independently or is supervised by a physician, surgeon, or dentist and who is skilled in promoting and maintaining health — see licensed practical nurse, licensed vocational nurse, registered nurse