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

Dylan Terry said that his nursery business has continued to grow ever since the COVID-19 pandemic. — Hank Tester, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026

Many other kinds of trees sold in nurseries are also grafted to make commercial production easier. — Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026

Webb’s infrared vision is particularly useful here because infrared light can penetrate dust that blocks much of the visible light, giving astronomers a better look at the processes taking place inside stellar nurseries. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2026

Consider soft pastels for nurseries, chic neutrals for minimalist spaces, or bold colors for playful café curtains. — Nina Derwin, Architectural Digest, 14 Aug. 2026

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