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

The capture in Gran Canaria falls into the juvenile-to-subadult size range, suggesting these waters could serve as a nursery or perhaps a migratory corridor. —Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026

Her days are patterned, quiet, and slow; her toys make no clattering sounds, the nursery is decorated only in soothing, dim colors. —Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026

Buying seedlings from your local plant nursery is an easy way to get a jump on the growing season. —Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 28 Jan. 2026

Paleontologists believe that Maryland was once a whale and dolphin calving ground and nursery for hungry megalodons. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 28 Jan. 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