nursery rhyme
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of nursery rhyme
First recorded in 1835–45
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Its name is inspired by the nursery rhyme Old Mother Goose, reflecting the idea of an ancient goose emerging from the mud of a fossil deposit.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 11, 2026
Their lead single “Fabienk” is studded with hair-trigger riffs — if you can even call them that — that mix the playful nursery rhyme melodies of Battles with the no-wave drone of Sonic Youth.
From Salon ● Jun. 5, 2026
But several of those madcap ideas flummoxed fans—Carlin pointed to the 1972 single “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” which was inspired by the nursery rhyme.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 27, 2026
However, there have been many theories over the years around the true meaning behind the nursery rhyme, with none being confirmed.
From BBC ● Apr. 19, 2024
Lelia recognizes this, too, and they all gallop on broomsticks while they recite an old nursery rhyme.
From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
