nursery
noun
nurs·ery
ˈnər-s(ə-)rē 
plural nurseries
1
obsolete
: attentive care : fosterage
2
a
: a child's bedroom
b
: a place where children are temporarily cared for in their parents' absence
c
3
a
: something that fosters, develops, or promotes
b
: a place in which persons are trained or educated
4
: an area where plants are grown for transplanting, for use as stocks for budding and grafting, or for sale
5
: a place where young animals grow or are cared for
Examples of nursery in a Sentence
She still needs to decorate the nursery before the baby comes.
We get our flowers from a local nursery.
Recent Examples on the Web
These nursery best sellers were intended to give young readers a grounding in emerging strains of scientific thought.
—
Kathryn Hughes, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
The tourist attraction in Cleveland, Georgia, offers free tours of the nursery and cabbage patch.
—Madeline Montgomery, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
It is found growing at elevations from sea level to 5,000 feet but is infrequently encountered in the nursery trade.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2026
Mangrove roots act as a nursery, supporting 800 billion young fish, prawns and crustaceans each year, according to a 2024 analysis by a coalition of governments and international biodiversity organizations.
—Ryan Kellman, NPR, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nursery
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Kathryn Hughes, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
The tourist attraction in Cleveland, Georgia, offers free tours of the nursery and cabbage patch.
—Madeline Montgomery, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
It is found growing at elevations from sea level to 5,000 feet but is infrequently encountered in the nursery trade.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2026
Mangrove roots act as a nursery, supporting 800 billion young fish, prawns and crustaceans each year, according to a 2024 analysis by a coalition of governments and international biodiversity organizations.
—Ryan Kellman, NPR, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nursery
Cite this Entry
“Nursery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nursery. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
nursery
noun
nurs·ery
ˈnərs-(ə-)rē
plural nurseries
1
a
: a child's bedroom
b
: a place where children are temporarily cared for in their parents' absence
2
: a place where plants (as trees or shrubs) are grown for transplanting, for use as stocks in grafting, or for sale
Medical Definition
nursery
noun
nurs·ery
ˈnərs-(ə-)rē
plural nurseries
: the department of a hospital where newborn infants are cared for
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