nidus

noun

ˈnī-dəs How to pronounce nidus (audio)
Definition of nidusnext
as in nest
a place or environment that favors the development of something a type of contact lens that proved to be a nidus of infection

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of nidus The indisputably desirable goal of supporting walking, biking and bus-riding around an Uptown nidus was severely wounded. — Star Tribune, 30 Nov. 2020 To deliberately collapse and compress a lobe of lung, and with it, its nidus of festering infection. — Rebecca Kreston, Discover Magazine, 24 Mar. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nidus
  1. nest
  2. center
  3. nursery
  4. capital
  5. hotbed
Noun
  • Or, that some of those same city employees would set up web cameras so that hundreds of residents could watch the baby falcons grow up in their nest on a ledge outside City Hall.
    — Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Jackie and Shadow’s story After the pair became official in 2018, FOBBV’s nest cameras documented Jackie and Shadow’s life together, offering viewers a direct look into the brutality and beauty of nature.
    — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of nest
Noun
  • Iran has issued a list of concessions the US must make in order for the vital Strait of Hormuz to be reopened, once again bringing the waterway center-stage in Tehran’s dealings with Washington.
    — Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026
  • His early memories center on 2005’s Axis of Evil tour, during which Ahmed Ahmed, Maz Jobrani, Aron Kader, and Dean Obeidallah set out to contend with an American public still living under the cloud of the World Trade Center attack.
    — Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of center
Noun
  • Webb’s infrared vision is particularly useful here because infrared light can penetrate dust that blocks much of the visible light, giving astronomers a better look at the processes taking place inside stellar nurseries.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Consider soft pastels for nurseries, chic neutrals for minimalist spaces, or bold colors for playful café curtains.
    — Nina Derwin, Architectural Digest, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of nursery
Noun
  • The power company said the attack resulted in outages across the southern parts of the city, which is located about 47 kilometers (about 30 miles) west of the capital Tripoli.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The 34-year-old returned to a hero’s welcome in his nation’s capital of Mogadishu following his denial of entry to the US.
    — Aleks Klosok, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of capital
Noun
  • Throughout the night, Allie and Owen’s paths continue to cross in the hotbed of lust sweeping across the Big Apple, leading each to wonder if they are truly meant for each other or just there to exist as the means for a desperate encounter.
    — Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Dance In recent years, a small loft above a beauty-supply store in East Williamsburg has emerged as a hotbed of dance experimentation.
    — Sheldon Pearce, New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of hotbed

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nidus
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Cite this Entry

“Nidus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nidus. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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