nest

American  

[nest] / nɛst /

noun

1. a pocketlike, usually more or less circular structure of twigs, grass, mud, etc., formed by a bird, often high in a tree, as a place in which to lay and incubate its eggs and rear its young; any protected place used by a bird for these purposes.

2. a place used by insects, fishes, turtles, rabbits, etc., for depositing their eggs or young.

3. a number of birds, insects, animals, etc., inhabiting one such place.

4. a snug retreat or refuge; resting place; home.

5. an assemblage of things lying or set close together, as a series of boxes or trays, that fit within each other.

   a nest of tables.

6. a place where something bad is fostered or flourishes: a robber's nest.

   a nest of vice;

   a robber's nest.

7. the occupants or frequenters of such a place.

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verb (used with object)

1. to settle or place (something) in or as if in a nest.

   to nest dishes in straw.

2. to fit or place one within another.

   to nest boxes for more compact storage.

verb (used without object)

1. to build or have a nest.

   The swallows nested under the eaves.

2. to settle in or as if in a nest.

3. to fit together or within another or one another.

   bowls that nest easily for storage.

4. to search for or collect nests.

   to go nesting.

5. Computers. to place a routine inside another routine that is at a higher hierarchical level.

nest British  

/ nɛst /

noun

1. a place or structure in which birds, fishes, insects, reptiles, mice, etc, lay eggs or give birth to young

2. a number of animals of the same species and their young occupying a common habitat

   an ants' nest

3. a place fostering something undesirable

   a nest of thievery

4. the people in such a place

   a nest of thieves

5. a cosy or secluded place

6. a set of things, usually of graduated sizes, designed to fit together

   a nest of tables

7. military a weapon emplacement

   a machine-gun nest

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verb

1. (intr) to make or inhabit a nest

2. (intr) to hunt for birds' nests

3. (tr) to place in a nest

nest Idioms  

1. see empty nest; feather one's nest; foul one's nest; stir up a hornet's nest.

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Other Word Forms

• nestable
  adjective
• nester
  noun
• nestlike
  adjective
• nesty
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of nest

First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English (cognate with Dutch, German nest; akin to Latin nīdus “nest,” Old Irish net, Welsh nyth, Sanskrit nīḍa “lair”), ultimately from unattested Indo-European nizdo- “bird's nest,” equivalent to unattested ni “down” ( see nether) + unattested zd-, variant of unattested sd-, ablaut variant of unattested sed-, verb base meaning “sit” ( see sit ¹) + unattested -o- thematic vowel

Explanation

A nest is a shelter or other structure that an animal uses for laying eggs or giving birth. If a bird is collecting string and straw and twigs in your yard, she's probably building a nest in a nearby tree. Large birds of prey build nests that can be six feet high, in trees or on buildings, and up to three feet wide. Owls often make nests in tree hollows, while orioles build elaborate hammock-like nests that hang from branches. Foxes, mice, and raccoons also build nests, and people can make nests too, cozy spots to settle for a nap. As a verb, nest means "to build a nest or fit inside something larger."

Example Sentences

Down below sat rows of tidy cabins with names like Happy Nest.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026

Suffolk Police said it was called to Sparrow's Nest Gardens in Lowestoft at 22:13 GMT on Friday, where a man was treated by emergency services but "later declared deceased".

From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026

Investigators have released images of the prime suspect - a man captured on Nancy Guthrie's Nest doorbell camera.

From BBC • Mar. 5, 2026

Authorities have said video footage from Guthrie’s Nest camera, captured on the morning of her disappearance, holds the key to solving the case.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 18, 2026

They had no money for medicine or a medik, so they huddled together in a pile of broken-up wooden boxes that they dubbed the Nest.

From "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo

Related Words

• burrow
• den
• refuge