Etimology
From Middle English gardyn, garden, from Anglo-Norman gardin, from Frankish *gardin-, oblique stem of *gardō (“enclosure, yard”), from Proto-Germanic *gardô (“enclosure, garden, house”), whence also inherited English yard. (compare Old French jart alongside jardin, Medieval Latin gardinus).
noun
garden (plural gardens)
An outdoor area containing one or more types of plants, usually plants grown for food or ornamental purposes.
(British, Ireland, Appalachia) The grounds at the front or back of a house.
(cartomancy) The twentieth Lenormand card.
(figuratively) A cluster; a bunch.
(slang) Pubic hair or the genitalia it masks.
Examples
a vegetable garden
a flower garden
[…] I ſuppoſe the North ſide of the water to be the beſt ſide for your garden, that it may haue the comfort of the South Sunne to lye vpon it and face it, and the dwelling houſe to bee aboue it, to defend the cold windes and froſts both from your herbes, and flowers, and early fruits.
You can spend the afternoon walking around the town gardens.
a garden party
a garden path
a garden spade
The garden parties of pre-1914 were something to be remembered. Everyone was dressed up to the nines, high-heeled shoes, muslin frocks with blue sashes, large leghorn hats with drooping roses. There were lovely ices […] with every kind of cream cake, of sandwich, of éclair, and peaches, muscat grapes, and nectarines.
This house has a swimming pool, a tent, a swing set and a fountain in the garden.
We were drinking lemonade and playing croquet in the garden.
Our garden is overgrown with weeds.
Behind the tangled garden of microphones that had sprouted on the lectern, Goldwater spoke softly and casually about his family.
Blow on my garden [speaking of her genitalia], so the spices of it may flow out. Let my Beloved come into His garden [her pubic area] and eat His pleasant fruits.
Primping and pruning the secret garden might seem like a totally 21st century concept, but the fact is women have gotten into below-the-belt grooming since before the Bronze Age.
Related words
synonyms
(decorative place outside):
(gardens with public access): park, public gardens
(grounds at the front or back of a house): yard (US, Canada, Australia)
(the pubic hair): See pubic hair
hyponyms
allotment garden
alpine garden
apothecary garden
back garden
baroque garden
beer garden
botanical garden
cactus garden
caretaker's garden
castle garden
Chinese garden
coral garden
cottage garden
country garden
court garden
courtyard garden
cutting garden
display garden
dream garden
Eden garden
English garden
English landscape garden
flower garden
French formal garden
French garden
French landscape garden
front garden
fruit garden
garden of God (paradise)
Greek garden
herb garden
hop garden
household garden
Islamic garden
Italian garden
Japanese garden
keyhole garden
kitchen garden
knot garden (labyrinth)
landscaped garden
landscape garden
market garden
medicinal herb garden
medicinal plant garden
municipal garden
olive garden
orangery garden
orchid garden
organic garden
ornamental garden
palace garden
palm garden
paradise garden
perennial garden
Persian garden
physic garden (British)
pleasure garden
pub garden (British)
public gardens
rear garden
rock garden
Roman garden
roof garden
rooftop garden
rose garden
school garden
sculpture garden
sensory garden
show garden
Spanish garden
stroll garden
strolling garden
summer garden
sunken garden
tea garden
terraced garden
tropical garden
vegetable garden
water garden
winter garden
xerogarden
Zen garden
zoological garden(s)
verb
garden (third-person singular simple present gardens, present participle gardening, simple past and past participle gardened)
(intransitive, chiefly Canada, US) To grow plants in a garden; to create or maintain a garden.
(intransitive, cricket) Of a batsman, to inspect and tap the pitch lightly with the bat so as to smooth out small rough patches and irregularities.
Examples
Synonym: make garden
I love to garden—this year I'm going to plant some daffodils.
Synonym: farm
adjective
garden (not comparable)
Common, ordinary, domesticated.
Examples
Synonym: garden variety