nursery

American  

[nur-suh-ree] / ˈnɜr sə ri /

noun

plural

nurseries

1. a room or place set apart for young children.

2. a nursery school or day nursery.

3. a place where young trees or other plants are raised for transplanting, for sale, or for experimental study.

4. any place in which something is bred, nourished, or fostered.

   The art institute has been the nursery of much great painting.

5. any situation, condition, circumstance, practice, etc., serving to breed or foster something.

   Slums are nurseries for young criminals.

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nursery British  

/ ˈnɜːsrɪ /

noun

1. 1. a room in a house set apart for use by children

   2. ( as modifier )

      nursery wallpaper

2. a place where plants, young trees, etc, are grown commercially

3. an establishment providing residential or day care for babies and very young children; crèche

4. short for nursery school

5. anywhere serving to foster or nourish new ideas, etc

6. Also called: nursery cannon.  billiards

   1. a series of cannons with the three balls adjacent to a cushion, esp near a corner pocket

   2. a cannon in such a series

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Other Word Forms

• prenursery adjective

Etymology

Origin of nursery

First recorded in 1350–1400, nursery is from the Middle English word norcery. See nurse, -ery

Example Sentences

This immense scale highlights just how vast and dynamic this stellar nursery truly is.

From Science Daily

CPU director Alison Cole said the think tank also wanted the card to be "integrated" with services that see young families, so that midwives, health visitors and nursery staff could introduce them to library services.

From BBC

Such as the government moving to reduce nursery waiting lists, so that young mothers can return to the workforce more quickly.

From BBC

He had previously been unable to go to nursery as getting any illness would have resulted in him being taken off the organ transplant list.

From BBC

Annual nursery costs for a child under two in England did fall this year for the first time in 15 years, according to the children's charity Coram.

From BBC

Related Words

• playroom
• preschool