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
Island custodians began restoring the vegetation in the 1960s—work that continues in the resort’s nursery.
—
Susan Casey, Travel + Leisure, 10 Jan. 2026
Bare-root deciduous fruit trees are now arriving in nurseries and home improvement centers.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 9 Jan. 2026
When Anne Gripp died, her children Parry and Alice inherited the nursery and took over its operation in 1994, Alice Gripp said in 2023.
—Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026
Below, experts share essential tips for shopping the clearance section of your local plant nursery, along with helpful rescue care tips.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nursery
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Cite this Entry
“Nursery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nursery. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
Kids 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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