adj · noun · verb · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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General-American:/ˈnɝsɪŋ/
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈnɜːsɪŋ/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɜː(ɹ)sɪŋ
CMU ARPABET:N ER1 S IH0 NG
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
In the state of suckling young, lactating.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
The nursing bear wouldn't move far until her cubs were older.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Referring to nurses.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
The nursing staff worked overtime at the hospital.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
Suckling, such as breastfeeding.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
The process or profession of caring for patients as a nurse.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
She went into nursing as a career.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
verb
Meaning 5
present participle and gerund of nurse
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: form-of, gerund, participle, present
Examples
The mother sat there nursing her baby.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
the work of caring for the sick or injured or infirm
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: care, attention, aid, tending
7
noun
Meaning 7
nourishing at the breast
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: breast feeding
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: infant feeding
8
noun
Meaning 8
the profession of a nurse
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: health profession
History
Etymology
No etymology was provided for this word.
Across languages
Translations
38 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Chinese Mandarin:
餵奶的 /喂奶的
(wèinǎi de)
— lactating
Finnish:
imettävä
— lactating
Arabic:
تَمْرِيض
(tamrīḍ)
— referring to nurses
Chinese Mandarin:
護理的 /护理的
(hùlǐ de)
— referring to nurses
Finnish:
sairaanhoito-
— referring to nurses
Finnish:
hoitava
— referring to nurses
Russian:
медсе́стринский
(medséstrinskij)
— referring to nurses
Russian:
се́стринский
(séstrinskij)
— referring to nurses
Tamil:
செவிலிய
(ceviliya)
— referring to nurses
Arabic:
تَمْرِيض
(tamrīḍ)
— caring for patients
Catalan:
infermeria
— caring for patients
Chinese Mandarin:
護理 /护理
(hùlǐ)
— caring for patients
Chinese Mandarin:
護理學 /护理学
(hùlǐxué)
— caring for patients
Chinese Mandarin:
看護 /看护
(kānhù)
— caring for patients
Dutch:
verpleging
— caring for patients
Esperanto:
flegado
— caring for patients
Finnish:
sairaanhoitoala
— caring for patients
Finnish:
sairaanhoito
— caring for patients
Galician:
enfermaría
— caring for patients
Hindi:
परिचर्या
(paricaryā)
— caring for patients
Irish:
altranas
— caring for patients
Irish:
banaltracht
— caring for patients
Japanese:
看護
(kango)
— caring for patients
Korean:
간호
(ganho)
— caring for patients
Norwegian Bokmål:
sykepleie
— caring for patients
Norwegian Bokmål:
sjukepleie
— caring for patients
Norwegian Nynorsk:
sjukepleie
— caring for patients
Persian:
پرستاری
(parastâri)
— caring for patients
Polish:
pielęgniarstwo
— caring for patients
Portuguese:
enfermagem
— caring for patients
Russian:
медсе́стринское де́ло
(medséstrinskoje délo)
— caring for patients
Russian:
се́стринское де́ло
(séstrinskoje délo)
— caring for patients
Russian:
ухо́д
(uxód)
— caring for patients
Scottish Gaelic:
eiridinn
— caring for patients
Scottish Gaelic:
altram
— caring for patients
Spanish:
enfermería
— caring for patients
Swahili:
unesi
— caring for patients
Tamil:
செவிலியம்
(ceviliyam)
— caring for patients
