nursery

[ nur-suh-ree ]

noun

, plural nurs·er·ies.

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.

nursery

/ 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 callednursery 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

Other Words From

• pre·nurser·y adjective noun plural prenurseries

Word History and Origins

Origin of nursery¹

First recorded in 1350–1400, nursery is from the Middle English word norcery. See nurse, -ery

Example Sentences

The three now live in Milton Keynes, with the children going to nursery four days a week, while Michelle works three days a week.

From BBC

All schools, from nurseries to post-primaries, will have a defibrillator as a result of the plan, he told the assembly on Monday.

From BBC

On Wednesday, nearly 100 schools and nurseries were shut in Scotland as well as almost 50 in Wales and at least 30 in England due to frosty conditions.

From BBC

The Birmingham Yardley MP told BBC Politics Midlands funding shortfalls in nurseries had fallen on parents since her own children went nearly 20 years ago.

From BBC

The rain was still thundering down, but by now - early evening - he had managed to leave work early, safely pick up his boys from nursery and was about to make their favourite dinner – croquetas.

From BBC

Related Words

• playroom
• preschool