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

As a neonatal nursery nurse who had worked at the Princess Royal, she says "it was really obvious to me that something wasn't right".

From BBC

Dad would pet my hair, sing me French nursery rhymes, and tell funny stories until I fell asleep.

From Literature

“Her visits to the nursery, her thoughtful conversations, and her wholehearted engagement brought laughter and insight into every interaction.”

From Los Angeles Times

They added that the families wanted to know what checks were made and how the nursery's safeguarding systems had "failed so catastrophically".

From BBC

The sphagnum austinii has been brought from Scotland, where it still grows, to the Yorkshire Dales and is being propagated in local nurseries before it is planted within the blanket bogs.

From BBC

Related Words

• playroom
• preschool