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 of nursery

• center
• nest
• seminary
• hothouse

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

Their mother works six days a week, 6am to 9pm, at a local nursery. —Claire Healy, Miami Herald, 5 Dec. 2025

This cosmic nursery contains some of the most massive and most luminous stars ever observed, forming at extraordinary rates as dense clouds of gas collapse under their own gravity. —Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 3 Dec. 2025

With a sleek silhouette, a luxe metal base, and plush foam filling, the piece is ideal for a reading nook, nursery, or any corner that could use extra seating. —Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Dec. 2025

Leigh Day, a law firm representing some of the families who attended the nursery at the time, issued a statement from the parents. —Caitlin Danaher, CNN Money, 3 Dec. 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

Rhymes for nursery

• bursary
• cursory
• anniversary

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