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

The project has two nursery sites now: a seed bank near Paramount Ranch and the main nursery off Las Virgenes Road in Calabasas, where thousands of seeds have been planted in tiny flats and then repotted to grow large enough to be planted. —Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2024

The cellophane insulates the plant from temperature changes that can happen while it’s being transported from the nursery to the store and from the store to your house. —Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Oct. 2024

The film opens with Justin just having put the finishing touches on the nursery, surprising Ally. —Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 27 Oct. 2024

The private, nonprofit organization includes two pediatric hospitals, a pediatric research institute and U.S. Department of Agriculture nutrition center, a philanthropic foundation, a nursery alliance, statewide clinics, and many education and outreach programs. —Doug Thompson, arkansasonline.com, 15 Oct. 2024

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

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