playpen

[pley-pen]

noun

1. a small enclosure, usually portable, in which a young child can play safely alone without constant supervision.

2. playground.

playpen

/ ˈpleɪˌpɛn /

noun

1. a small enclosure, usually portable, in which a young child can be left to play in safety

Word History and Origins

Origin of playpen¹

First recorded in 1930–35; play + pen ²

Example Sentences

You have to let the audience know, hopefully in the first act, what the parameters of the playpen are going to be.

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Georgia Gardner and her boyfriend, Joshua Fishlock, had momentarily left Valerie in a playpen at their campsite while the couple went fishing.

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In neighbouring Bangladesh, where drowning is the leading cause of death for children aged one-four, wooden playpens were introduced in courtyards to keep children safe.

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Berkowitz lifted a duckling up from a playpen that was repurposed into a duck nursery.

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As a concept, Outside Joke’s Netflix-themed playpen in the parking lot of the Palladium has its charms.

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