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

First, there had to be laboratory evidence of infection, such as positive serologic testing for antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi. —John Drake, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024

The turtle sanctuary combines an interactive museum with research laboratories and offers a large selection of activities for visitors. —Mo Noubani, Travel + Leisure, 12 Dec. 2024

The researchers then teamed up with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi biochemist, Hussain Abdulla, who lent out his laboratory for the marine biologists to run an untargeted analysis to see just what was inside these tissues. —Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 6 Dec. 2024

Henry Jacques has an ever-growing perfumery laboratory, which today is composed of natural olfactive components — more than 1,200 altogether — conceived in the South of France and used just for the brand. —Jennifer Weil, WWD, 5 Dec. 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