DictionaryAI

nursery

noun
SayNUR-suh-reeUS/ˈnɝsəɹi/UK/ˈnɜːsəɹi/

Pluralnurseries

11 meanings of nursery

Practice

  1. 1
    nounBritishUKcountable or uncountable
    A place that looks after young children during the day, before they are old enough to start school.

    Maya goes to nursery three mornings a week while her mum is at work.

    The nursery near our house has a big garden where the children play outside.

    Similarpreschool

    Note
  2. 2
    nouncountable or uncountable
    A room in a house where a baby or small child sleeps and is cared for.

    They painted the nursery yellow before the baby arrived.

    The nanny rocked the baby to sleep in the nursery.

    Note
  3. 3
    nounfigurativelycountable or uncountable
    A place where young plants and trees are grown and sold.

    Like a school for young plants: they stay there until they are ready to be planted in a real garden.

    We bought two small apple trees from the nursery down the road.

    In spring the nursery sells flowers, bushes, and bags of soil.

    Note
  4. 4
    nounfigurativelycountable or uncountable
    A place where animals have their babies or where young animals are raised.

    The farm has a warm nursery for the newborn lambs.

    The shallow water near the shore is a nursery for young fish.

    Note
  5. 5
    nounfigurativelycountable or uncountable
    A team or club where young players learn the game and grow their skills.

    The local soccer club is a nursery for young talent in the city.

    He joined the team's nursery at age ten and learned the basics there.

    Note
  6. 6
    nounfigurativelycountable
    A place where something new is helped to start and grow.

    The small theater was a nursery for new actors.

    That garage became a nursery for the band's early songs.

    Similarcradle, hotbed

    Note
  7. 7
    nouncountable
    Something that teaches people and helps them grow.

    The family farm was a nursery of hard work and honesty for the kids.

    Her first job was a nursery for the skills she uses today.

    Similarschool, cradle

    Note
  8. 8
    nounPhilippinescountable or uncountable
    The first year of preschool, for very young children.

    My little brother starts nursery in the fall.

    In nursery, the children mostly play, sing, and listen to stories.

    Note
  9. 9
    nouncountableabbreviationellipsis
    Short for nursery cannon. Use it for a billiards shot played when the balls are very close together.

    He played a careful nursery and kept all three balls near the cushion.

    She scored two more points with a neat nursery in the corner.

    Note

Less common meanings

  1. 10
    nounobsoletecountable
    A baby or young creature that someone nurses and cares for.
    Note
  2. 11
    nounobsoleteuncountable
    The work of feeding and raising a child or a young animal.
    Note

Practice

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Origin

From Middle English noricerie, from Old French norricerie, from norrice meaning a nurse. This came from Latin words for nursing and suckling a baby.