nursery - Master This Word
Master this word with our 5-step learning method – Learn English in English
nursery Word Meanings
- a place where children are cared for during the day
- a place for growing plants
- a place for developing or fostering something
nursery Example Sentences
Example sentences are the start of understanding. Don't rush to memorize. First feel how the word works in a sentence.
nursery Phonetic & Pronunciation
UK
/ˈnɜːsəri/
US
/ˈnɜrseri/
nursery Word Etymology
nursery = nurse (to nurture) + -ery (place of); Historical origin: Latin 'nutricius' → Old French 'nurserie' → English; Memory image: Imagine a warm, sunny room filled with cheerful children playing while caregivers nurture their growth, much like young plants in a garden.
Note 1: These definitions and etymologies are not standard dictionary definitions, but extended explanations provided to help with memorization and understanding of the actual application of words. Through this background information, we strive to make words more vivid and easier to understand, and help you remember their meanings in real life.
Note 2: LexiTalk designs the learning flow around the linguistics principle of “Comprehensible Input.” When learners encounter material that is slightly above their level but still understandable from context, the brain naturally absorbs the language. That’s why we keep every word inside authentic contexts, using examples and associations to help you understand it and use it flexibly.
Read the FAQ explanation of Comprehensible InputEnglish Brain Route
I push open the nursery door and step into a warm, soft morning where little feet patter and smiles rise like sunlight. I adjust a blanket, hold a curious hand, and shift the pace to match the room’s breathing. Then I move to the plant side of the day, a row of pots in a plant nursery, turning the soil, setting a seedling into fresh earth, keeping a careful eye on moisture. This tiny routine shows how care grows things—whether a child, a plant, or an idea—one careful turn at a time.
Real Context
Nursery is a noun with three main senses. First, it describes a place where young children are cared for during the day, typically run by staff and used by working parents. Second, it refers to a place for growing plants, where seedlings and young trees are cultivated before sale or planting elsewhere. A third sense is a figurative environment for developing or fostering something, such as a nursery for ideas, talents, or skills. Learners often confuse it with daycare or preschool, or assume it only means a plant shop. The word comes from nurse (to nurture) plus -ery meaning 'place of'. A mental image that helps is a bright room full of cheerful children or a greenhouse of neat young plants.
Usage Reminders
- - Use 'nursery' for a child-care facility.
- - Use 'plant nursery' for a place growing plants.
- - 'Nursery' can be metaphorical (a nursery for ideas).
- - Don’t equate nursery with 'garden center' unless plants are the focus.
- - Remember 'nursery school' is related to early education.
Common Misconceptions
- Not every plant shop is a nursery; a nursery is specifically for growing plants, not selling adult plants.
- Nursery is not the same as daycare or preschool in all contexts; usage varies by country.
- A nursery for children is not a garden center.
- People sometimes think 'nursery' is a person; it is a place, not a person.
- Nursery rhymes involve children, not the facility itself.
Thinking Differences
In English, nursery covers three distinct senses (child-care facility, plant-growing site, and a developmental environment), so learners must rely on context and collocations to choose the right meaning.
Learning Tips
- Learn the three senses first (child care, plant cultivation, metaphor).
- Pair with synonyms: daycare, preschool, greenhouse, garden center.
- Use visual imagery for each meaning (kids in a bright room; seedlings in trays).
- Remember common collocations: nursery school, plant nursery, nursery rhyme.
- Mind the regional usage differences (UK vs US terms).
- Practice with real-life scenarios (school, gardening, ideas incubation).
5-Step Learning Method - Learn English in English
Step 1: Meaning
What is the meaning of 'nursery'?
A.A place to buy toys
B.A place for young children
C.A room for sleeping
D.A room for games
Step 2: Usage
In which sentence is 'nursery' used correctly?
A.She sat on her nursery to study.
B.The nursery of the plant needs to be watered.
C.He enjoys painting in the nursery room.
D.The nursery rhymes made the children happy.
Step 3: Similar Words
Which word is a synonym of 'nursery'?
A.Hospital
B.Library
C.Office
D.Greenhouse
Step 4: Opposite Words
What is the opposite meaning of 'nursery'?
A.Adults
B.Playground
C.Retirement home
D.Senior center
Step 5: Mastery
In what real-life context would you find a nursery?
A.At a construction site
B.In a university library
C.In a hospital maternity ward
D.At a car repair shop
Want to practice more words?
Download LexiTalk app for personalized learning experience
Download App