biopsy
Americannoun
-
the removal for diagnostic study of a piece of tissue from a living body.
-
a specimen obtained from a biopsy.
verb (used with object)
noun
-
examination, esp under a microscope, of tissue from a living body to determine the cause or extent of a disease
-
the sample taken for such an examination
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of biopsy
Explanation
A biopsy is a sample of tissue or liquid from the body that helps determine if you have a disease. If your doctor finds a lump in part of your body, she will probably do a biopsy to see if it is cancerous or not. Bios means "life" and opsis means "see" or "sight," so a biopsy is a way for a doctor to look into your body, so to speak, by taking a sample of it. There are different kinds of biopsies, depending on where the tissue is that your doctor needs to look at. You might have a surgical biopsy or a less invasive biopsy by needle.
Vocabulary lists containing biopsy
Words to Live By: Bio
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Common Senses: Op, Ops, Opt ("Sight")
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National Nurses Week: Common Medical Terms
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It has been 10 days of many exams Pet Scan - Cat scan - 2 MRI’s- Biopsy - multiple bloodwork - now at least I know what I face.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026
Microvesicles as a Potential "Biopsy for the Brain"
From Science Daily • Dec. 17, 2025
Biopsy samples used in the study were sent to Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, for genetic analyses.
From Seattle Times • Jan. 26, 2022
Tovey, 66, said he went from “emergency to diagnosis all in one day. Biopsy immediately — op June 10, chemo protocol June 17 and tonight I’m conducting the LAPhil@HollywoodBowl total cost so far? $0.”
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 14, 2019
On a separate page he wrote, “Henrietta Lacks .. . Biopsy of cervical tissue . .. Tissue given to Dr. George Gey.”
From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
