laboratory

noun

lab·​o·​ra·​to·​ry ˈla-b(ə-)rə-ˌtȯr-ē 

 sometimes  ˈla-bər-ˌtȯr-,

 or  ˈla-bə-ˌtȯr-,

 or  lə-ˈbȯr-ə-ˌtȯr-

plural laboratories

often attributive

1

a

: a place equipped for experimental study in a science or for testing and analysis

a research laboratory

broadly : a place providing opportunity for experimentation, observation, or practice in a field of study

b

: a place like a laboratory for testing, experimentation, or practice

That area is a laboratory for cultivating the germ of terrorism.

2

: an academic period set aside for laboratory work

a course of study requiring two lectures and one laboratory per week

Examples of laboratory in a Sentence

experiments conducted in a modern laboratory

Recent Examples on the Web

The filing also details recent developments, including the acquisition of a clinical pathology laboratory and the issuance of new warrants and securities purchase agreements. —Quartz Bot, Quartz, 14 Nov. 2024

Other potential sources could include the patients themselves, laboratories noting unusual numbers of positive lab samples or pharmacies noting large numbers of prescription or over-the-counter medications being purchased. —Mark Kortepeter, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024

Depositphotos View 1 Images Spanning nearly 100 laboratories in 45 countries, landmark research has, for the first time, shown an association between genetic brain size and neurological conditions such as Parkinson's disease and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). —New Atlas, 25 Oct. 2024

But that all gets muddied after Venom shows up at Area 51, the site of a giant laboratory that’s about to be decommissioned by the U.S. government. —Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 23 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin laboratorium, from Latin laborare to labor, from labor

First Known Use

1592, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing laboratory

• lab/laboratory rat
• laboratory test
• language laboratory

Kids Definition

laboratory

noun

lab·​o·​ra·​to·​ry ˈlab-(ə-)rə-ˌtōr-ē  -ˌtȯr- 

plural laboratories

: a place equipped for making scientific experiments and tests

Medical Definition

laboratory

noun

lab·​o·​ra·​to·​ry

ˈlab-(ə-)rə-ˌtōr-ē, -ˌtȯr-, British usually lə-ˈbär-ə-t(ə-)rē

plural laboratories

often attributive

: a place equipped for experimental study in a science or for testing and analysis