plural cradles
1
: a bed for a baby that is usually designed to rock back and forth when pushed gently
She rocked the cradle.
—sometimes used figurativelyHe learned to play chess when he was barely out of the cradle. [=when he was very young]
2
formal
: the place where something begins
—usually singular —usually + of
the cradle of civilization/liberty
3
: something that is used to hold or support something else
She placed the phone back on its cradle.
A number of ships were resting in their cradles in the shipyard.
4
British
: a platform designed to move up and down the sides of a building so that workers can paint, clean, etc.
cradles; cradled; cradling
: to hold (something or someone) gently in your arms or hands
He cradled her face in his hands.
She was cradling the injured man's head in her arms.
cradle a baby
Cite this Entry
“Cradle.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/cradle. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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