nest

1 of 2

noun

1
a
: a bed or receptacle prepared by an animal and especially a bird for its eggs and young
b
: a place or specially modified structure serving as an abode of animals and especially of their immature stages
an ants' nest
c
: a receptacle resembling a bird's nest
2
a
: a place of rest, retreat, or lodging : home
grown children who have left the nest
b
3
: the occupants or frequenters of a nest
4
a
: a group of similar things
a nest of giant mountainsHelen MacInnes
b
: hotbed sense 2
a nest of rebellion
5
: a group of objects made to fit close together or one within another
6
: an emplaced group of weapons

nest

2 of 2

verb

nested; nesting; nests

intransitive verb

1
: to build or occupy a nest : settle in or as if in a nest
2
: to fit compactly together or within one another : embed

transitive verb

1
: to form a nest for
2
: to pack compactly together
3
: to form a hierarchy, series, or sequence of with each member, element, or set contained in or containing the next
nested subroutines

Examples of nest in a Sentence

Noun The bird built a nest out of small twigs. If you look closely, you can see a nest in that tree. They lived in a cozy little nest in the suburbs. Verb Robins nested in the tree. She studied the nesting habits of the turtle. The set of four chairs can nest into one stack. The smaller bowl is designed to nest inside the larger one.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
According to federal law and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act: Anyone observing, photographing, or present near a bald eagle nest must remain 300 feet or more away from the nest to prevent disturbance and avoid causing the eagles to abandon their nest. Jim Riccioli, Journal Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2024 Last year, Acadia National Park said three breeding pairs of peregrine falcons set up their nests on the park’s cliffs near the Valley Cove Trail, the Jordan Cliffs Trail, and the Precipice Trail. Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 4 Mar. 2024 The fish lay their eggs in small, circular nests amid shallow sediment, and clear out any debris that may fall into the nest. Matt Benoit, Discover Magazine, 1 Mar. 2024 If construction activity is more than 660 feet from a nest, activity is unlikely to bother bald eagles to the degree that causes nest abandonment and cause a permit to potentially be rejected according to the wildlife service. Chase Jordan, Charlotte Observer, 28 Feb. 2024 Making themselves at home, hooded orioles will use hummingbird feeders and make woven nests out of plants, such as large birds of paradise and banana trees, Burns said, both of which grow well in San Diego. Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2024 During the breeding season, in order to get a suitable spawning nest, not only the males will fight each other, but also the females — and even males and females will sometimes fight each other. Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 While the mother stays inside the nest feeding her chicks and lining the dwelling with her own feathers, the father is out foraging for his growing family. Devin Farmiloe, Scientific American, 14 Feb. 2024 Eagles may perceive loud equipment as a threat and attempt to defend their nest, risking extreme fatigue, injury, or death. The Arizona Republic, 21 Feb. 2024
Verb
But my proudest achievement, finally finding someone to nest with. Michael Schneider, Variety, 7 Mar. 2024 Another unique trait: While nesting the cranes will paint their feathers with the rusty, clay soil to better camouflage themselves and protect their young. Sarah Bowman, The Indianapolis Star, 4 Mar. 2024 Share [Findings] Humboldt penguins who nest in the open have more pollutant metabolites in their blood than do penguins who nest in guano-rich burrows. Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 28 Feb. 2024 Instead, it would be nested inside a satellite, capable of destroying swarms of commercial and military satellites circulating alongside it in low-earth orbit, including those like Starlink that are remaking global communications capabilities. David E. Sanger, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2024 Some pertain to bird movement, which is starting to pick up now as nesting is complete for many species. Taylor Piephoff, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024 Despite being nested within the same branch of the tree of life, legless, lengthy, and slithering snakes–capable of unhinging their jaws and delivering a venomous bite–stand out from their reptilian clade-mates. Popular Science, 22 Feb. 2024 Falcon Data Protection also offers deep visibility into data contained within zip files, even those nested within other files, ensuring that organizations can prevent data theft more effectively. Tony Bradley, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024 Since cassowaries nest on the ground, the green eggs blend in with the plants in the tropical forest, helping to hide them from predators. Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 9 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nest.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High German nest nest, Latin nidus

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of nest was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near nest

Cite this Entry

“Nest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nest. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

nest

1 of 2 noun
1
a
: a place or structure where eggs are laid and hatched or young are raised
a turtle's nest
the nest of a bird
a mouse's nest
b
: the home or shelter of an animal (as a squirrel or chimpanzee)
2
a
: a place of rest, retreat, or lodging : home
grown children who have left the nest
b
: den sense 2, hangout
the robbers' nest
3
: the occupants of a nest
a nest of baby birds
4
: a group of objects made to fit one within another
a nest of measuring cups

nest

2 of 2 verb
1
: to build or live in a nest
robins nested in the tree
2
: to fit compactly together or within one another
a set of tables that nest for storage

Medical Definition

nest

noun
: an isolated collection or clump of cells in tissue of a different structure
a nest of sarcomatous cells

More from Merriam-Webster on nest

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