Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Nursery

Nurs′er-y

,
Noun.
;
pl.
Nurseries
(#)
.
[Cf. F.
nourricerie
.]
1.
The act of nursing.
[Obs.]
“Her kind nursery.”
Shak.
Christian families are the
nurseries
of the church on earth, as she is the
nursery
of the church in heaven.
J. M. Mason.
(d)
That which forms and educates;
as, commerce is the
nursery
of seamen
.
3.
That which is nursed.
[R.]
Milton.

Webster 1828 Edition

Nursery

NURS'ERY

,
Noun.
1.
The place or apartment in a house appropriated to the care of children.
2.
A place where young trees are propagated for the purpose of being transplanted; a plantation of young trees.
3.
The place where any thing is fostered and the growth promoted.
To see fair Padua, nursery of arts.
So we say , a nursery of thieves or of rogues. Ale houses and dram-shops are the nurseries of intemperance.
Christian families are the nurseries of the church on earth, as she is the nursery of the church in heaven.
4.
Taht which forms and educates. Commerce is the nursery of seamen.
5.
The act of nursing. [Little used.]
6.
That which is the object of a nurse's care.

Definition 2024

nursery

nursery

English

Noun

nursery ‎(plural nurseries)

  1. (obsolete) The act of nursing.
    • 1606, William Shakespeare, King Lear, act 1, scene 1:
      I loved her most, and thought to set my rest / On her kind nursery.
  2. A place where nursing is carried on.
    1. A room or area in a household set apart for the care of children; specifically in European countries.
      • 1907, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, “chapter I”, in The Younger Set (Project Gutenberg; EBook #14852), New York, N.Y.: A. L. Burt Company, published 1 February 2005 (Project Gutenberg version), OCLC 4241346:
        But they had already discovered that he could be bullied, and they had it their own way; and presently Selwyn lay prone upon the nursery floor, impersonating a ladrone while pleasant shivers chased themselves over Drina, whom he was stalking.
    2. A place where young trees, shrubs, vines, etc., are cultivated for transplanting; a plantation of young trees.
    3. The place where anything is fostered and growth promoted.
      • c. 1594, William Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew, act 1, scene 1:
        Fair Padua, nursery of arts.
      • John Mitchell Mason (1770-1829)
        Christian families are the nurseries of the church on earth, as she is the nursery of the church in heaven.
    4. A nursery school.
  3. That which forms and educates.
    Commerce is the nursery of seamen.‎
  4. (rare) That which is nursed.
  5. (Philippines) The first year of preschool.

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Italian

Etymology

Borrowing from English nursery.

Noun

nursery f ‎(invariable)

  1. nursery (place for the care of children)

Etymology

From Middle English norcery, from Old French norture, norreture, from Late Latin nutritia

Pronunciation

Similar Results