nursery

noun

nurs·​ery ˈnər-s(ə-)rē How to pronounce nursery (audio)
plural nurseries
Synonyms of nurserynext
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

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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
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.
Floodwaters are beginning to impact farmland, woodlands, nurseries, parks, athletic fields, golf courses, greenways, and boat-access areas with up to 2 feet of inundation. — Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 10 Oct. 2026 Raking, bagging and blowing leaves away destroys this crucial winter nursery. — Manjot Kaur Sidhu, The Conversation, 9 Oct. 2026 Eco effort While over 80% of the reefs around the resort were bleached following the dramatic temperature rises of El Nino in 2016, the resort is throwing everything at its coral nursery and the green shoots are showing. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026 But this stellar nursery is also thought to be home to over 100 stars under a million years old, which is quite young and early in their lives. — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 7 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for nursery

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of nursery was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing nursery

Rhymes for nursery

See All Rhymes for nursery

Browse Nearby Words

nurser
nursery
nurserymaid
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Nursery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nursery. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

nursery

noun
nurs·​ery ˈnərs-(ə-)rē How to pronounce nursery (audio)
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 How to pronounce nursery (audio)
plural nurseries
: the department of a hospital where newborn infants are cared for

More from Merriam-Webster on nursery

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about nursery

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