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

Explanation

In a nursery, you're going to find a lot of growth — and either babies or plants. The word nurse is a clue to the meaning of nursery: nurses take care of people, and a nursery is a place of caretaking. One kind of nursery is for babies: it's a child's room with a crib and lots of baby toys. The other kind of nursery is for plants: this type of nursery usually has glass walls and a roof, plus everything plants need to be healthy. Nurseries keep plants or babies safe so they can grow.

Example Sentences

When she has time, Daisy Fancourt likes to sit at the piano and play something by Bach, Francis Poulenc or, if her children are with her, a nursery rhyme.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

This month, the firm served as an anchor investor in a continuation fund to recapitalize Kids Planet, a U.K. nursery operator backed by European midmarket buyout firm Fremman Capital.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

Its life cycle includes a journey of 11,000 kilometers from Andean headwaters to coastal nursery areas.

From Science Daily • Mar. 26, 2026

Latewood and the nursery were expected to face a trial in April but entered new pleas.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026

He could no longer drag himself upstairs to the nursery; in fact he could scarcely get out of bed.

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood

Related Words

• playroom
• preschool