nursery

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nursery

/ˈnɜːsəɹi/ UK
/ˈnɜːsɹi/ UK
/ˈnɝsəɹi/ US
/ˈnɝsɹi/ US
/ˈnɝʃɹi/ US, dialectal

Rhymes with -ɜː(ɹ)səɹi, -ɜː(ɹ)sɹi

Where it comes from

From Middle English noricerie, norserye (“children's nursery; state of being fostered or nursed; education, upbringing”) [and other forms], from Old French norricerie, nourricerie, from norrice, nourrice (modern French nourrice (“childminder, nanny; wet nurse”)) + -erie (suffix forming feminine nouns). Norrice and nourrice are derived from Late Latin nūtrīcia (“wet nurse”), from Latin nūtrīcius (“that nurses or suckles; nourishing”), from nūtriō (“to breastfeed, nurse, suckle”), possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)neh₂- (“to flow”). The English word may be analysed as nourice, nurse + -ery (suffix forming nouns meaning ‘place of’).

noun nurseries

broadly, countable, uncountable Especially in European countries: a room or area in a household set apart for the care of children. As soon as she was alone and the carriage had been driven well away from the door, Mrs. Trevelyan left the drawing-room and went up to the nursery. As she entered she clothed her face with her sweetest smile. "How is his own mother's dearest, dearest, darling duck?" she said, putting out her arms an
British, UK, countable, uncountable An institution for small children who not yet have begun primary school during daytime (when their parents work); a daycare centre.
Similar: crèche
Philippines, countable, uncountable The first year of pre-school.
also, countable, figuratively A place where anything is fostered and growth promoted. [S]ince for the great deſire I had To ſee faire Padua, nurſerie of Arts, I am arriu'd for fruitfull Lombardie, The pleaſant garden of great Italy.
Similar: soil
also, countable, figuratively, uncountable A place where animals breed, or where young animals are naturally or artificially reared (for example, on a farm).
Similar: soil
also, countable, figuratively, uncountable A place where young shrubs, trees, vines, etc., are cultivated for transplanting, or (more generally) made available for public sale, a garden centre; also (obsolete) a plantation of young trees. [I]f we had but one skilful and diligent Nurſery-man, who had a complete Nurſery of all ſorts of good fruit, and of the beſt Vines that agree beſt with this Climate, and Mulberry Trees, and wholſom Trees for the avenues of Cities, Towns, and fair Manſions; That one ſuch Nurſery within ten or fifteen
Similar: soil
also, countable, figuratively, uncountable A club or team for developing the skills of young players.
Similar: soil
countable Something which educates and nurtures. Commerce is the nursery of seamen.
abbreviation, countable, ellipsis Ellipsis of nursery cannon (“a carom shot involving balls that are very close together”).
countable, obsolete, rare Someone or something that is nursed; a nursling.
obsolete, uncountable The act of nursing or rearing. I lou'd her moſt, and thought to ſet my reſt / On her kind nurcery, [...]

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: greenhouse, glasshouse, creche, crèche, daycare, childcare, orphanage, rearing, native, residence, infirmary, sickbay, custody, house, mother, parent

Translations

Every language

noun place where nursing or the raising of children is carried out

Español	criadero
Português	berçário
Français	crèche, pouponnière
Italiano	sala dei bambini
Ελληνικά	βρεφοκομείο vrefokomeío, βρεφιικός σταθμός vrefiikós stathmós
Русский	я́сли jásli

noun place where anything is fostered and growth promoted

Español	criadero, vivero
Русский	расса́дник rassádnik

noun room or area in a household set apart for the care of children

Deutsch	Kinderstube, Kinderzimmer
Русский	де́тская ко́мната détskaja kómnata, де́тская détskaja

noun place where the pre-school children of working parents are supervised during the day — see also nursery school

Español	casa cuna, guardería, jardín de infancia
한국어	유아원 yuawon
日本語	保育園 hoikuen
中文	幼兒園 /幼儿园 yòu'éryuán, 幼稚園 /幼稚园 yòuzhìyuán
Português	berçário, creche
Français	crèche
Deutsch	Kindergarten, Kinderstube, Kinderzimmer, Kinderkrippe
Ελληνικά	βρεφοκομείο vrefokomeío
Română	creșă
Русский	я́сли jásli, де́тский сад détskij sad, де́тская ко́мната détskaja kómnata, де́тская détskaja
العربية	رَوْضَة rawḍa, حَضَانَة ḥaḍāna

noun place where animals breed, or where young animals are naturally or artificially reared

Español	guardería, nido
Português	berçário
Français	crèche
Italiano	nido
Русский	пито́мник pitómnik

noun place where young plants are cultivated for transplanting

Español	criadero, semillero, vivero, nursería, norsería
한국어	묘포 myopo
日本語	苗圃 byōho
中文	苗圃 miáopǔ
Português	sementeira, viveiro
Français	pépinière
Deutsch	Gärtnerei, Baumschule
Italiano	vivaio
Ελληνικά	φυτώριο fytório
Русский	расса́дник rassádnik, пито́мник pitómnik
العربية	مَشْتَلَة maštala

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Cite this

MLA

"nursery." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/nursery. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

nursery. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/nursery

Chicago

"nursery." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/nursery.

BibTeX

@misc{nursery_2026,
  title = {nursery},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/nursery},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}