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

Trudging behind my mom to the local nursery, winding through the stacks of pansies and roses.

From Los Angeles Times

Meanwhile, more than 60 schools and nurseries across Moray have announced they will remain closed.

From BBC

Some 90% of children under the age of 10 catch chickenpox at some point, and a week off school or nursery is fairly common.

From BBC

The 22 new contestants also include a poker-playing gardener, a barrister, a cyber security consultant, a civil servant, a builder, a nursery school teacher and a personal trainer.

From BBC

What matters is that a baby has regular interaction with at least one "stable attachment figure", she says - it is not important whether that is a parent, or a nursery worker or childminder.

From BBC

Related Words

• playroom
• preschool