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Synonyms

registered nurse

American  

noun

  1. a graduate nurse who has passed a state board examination and been registered and licensed to practice nursing. R.N.

Etymology

Origin of registered nurse

First recorded in 1895–1900

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.

My wife was a registered nurse, and I, as a commercial fisherman, worked for years while we lived and saved on only slightly more than what crew-share employees earned.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 19, 2026

He worked as a research scientist before returning to school to become a registered nurse.

From BBC • Jan. 25, 2026

Pretti was a licensed, law-abiding gun owner, registered nurse, and worked at a veteran’s hospital.

From Slate • Jan. 25, 2026

Ms. Morgan is a registered nurse and senior director of programs at Do No Harm.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 7, 2025

Walking next to Collins was his slightly younger sister, Ethel, a plump but pretty registered nurse who was almost always by his side.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

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.