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

Transplant Shock Plants are sensitive to changes in their environment, including when they are moved from one area to another in the garden or brought home from the garden center or nursery and replanted. —Lauren David, Southern Living, 31 May 2025

This is particularly helpful for sensitive sleepers and means the product is better suited for spaces like healthcare facilities and nurseries. —Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 30 May 2025

So much for plebeians like myself, who tended to plants at a local nursery for minimum wage at 17. —Chris Branch, New York Times, 29 May 2025

The most basic and budget-friendly nursery night-lights cost about $4 to $10, while midrange nursery night-lights go for $10 to $25 and high-end nursery night-lights vary in price from about $25 to $60. —Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 28 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