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

This ranges from a solar farm housing grazing sheep as a natural way to maintain the land, to a learning center, fruit orchard, tree nursery and vegetable patch dedicated to growing foods that are hard to get in Puerto Rico, like kale, lettuce and tomatoes. —Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 18 May 2025

Epic Universe is a powerful example of how Florida’s nursery and landscape industry shapes the state’s world-class visitor experiences. —Tal Coley, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 May 2025

For best results, McKinley urges gardeners to seek out local retail nurseries, especially those that shun pesticides, instead of buying plants from corporate growers. —USA Today, 16 May 2025

Types of Watermelons to Grow from Seed Growing watermelons from seed is the only way to get your hands on difficult-to-find varieties that aren’t sold in nurseries. —Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 May 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