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

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

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

Throughout the uneven gravel, dirt, and often muddy terrain of the nursery, workers carrying plants and pushing carts of compost and potting soil were all donning the same pair. —Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Apr. 2025

The years-long drive to give Florida’s nursery and farm workers landmark health protections from increasingly scorching summer heat appears to have reached a dead end. —Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2025

Garden centers have plugs available in nursery flats now. —Neil Sperry, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Apr. 2025

Mark Felix for The Washington Post via Getty Images Southwest Louisiana's Calcasieu River spans roughly 200 miles, serving as a vital nursery to fish and wildlife, including Pinky, the famous pink dolphin. —Li Cohen, CBS News, 15 Apr. 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