laboratory

[ lab-ruh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee, lab-er-uh-; British luh-bor-uh-tuh-ree, -uh-tree ]

noun

, plural lab·o·ra·to·ries.

1. a building, part of a building, or other place equipped to conduct scientific experiments, tests, investigations, etc., or to manufacture chemicals, medicines, or the like.
2. any place, situation, set of conditions, or the like, conducive to experimentation, investigation, observation, etc.; anything suggestive of a scientific laboratory.

adjective

1. serving a function in a laboratory.
2. relating to techniques of work in a laboratory:

   laboratory methods; laboratory research.

laboratory

/ -trɪ; ləˈbɒrətərɪ; ˈlæbrəˌtɔːrɪ /

noun

1. 1. a building or room equipped for conducting scientific research or for teaching practical science
   2. ( as modifier )

      laboratory equipment

2. a place where chemicals or medicines are manufactured

Other Words From

• labo·ra·tori·al adjective
• labo·ra·tori·al·ly adverb
• labo·ra·tori·an noun
• inter·labo·ra·tory adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of laboratory¹

1595–1605; < Medieval Latin labōrātōrium workshop, equivalent to Latin labōrā ( re ) to labor + -tōrium -tory ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of laboratory¹

C17: from Medieval Latin labōrātōrium workshop, from Latin labōrāre to labour

Example Sentences

First, NASA astronaut Scott Kelly affixed densely-packed balls of Deinococcal bacteria on exposure panels outside the giant space laboratory back in 2015.

From Popular-Science

Dozens of laboratories, researchers and companies from Thailand to Nigeria are bootstrapping their own work on inoculations.

From Fortune

The ghostly blue flame stunned researchers when it first showed up unexpectedly in a laboratory experiment.

From Science News

“We were kind of surprised, because there is no laboratory evidence to show that this compound might have some effect,” Saeed says.

From Science News

They carried with them silver canisters, a bit smaller than a basketball, which capture air in a vacuum and store it until laboratory technicians can analyze its contents.

From Voice of San Diego

The technician on the other end is probably in a laboratory a thousand miles away.

From The Daily Beast

The powerful technology required is slow, complicated, and requires both a laboratory and equipment.

From The Daily Beast

Perhaps most importantly, previous psychological studies of moral responses relied on observations in laboratory settings.

From The Daily Beast

This post granted him unrestricted access to government medical and laboratory supplies.

From The Daily Beast

“I have investigated the laboratory procedure and I noted several sources for potential errors,” the letter by Mosoka reports.

From The Daily Beast

Here began indeed, in the drab surroundings of the workshop, in the silent mystery of the laboratory, the magic of the new age.

From Project Gutenberg

Even when repeated examinations are made, the laboratory findings must never be considered apart from the clinical signs.

From Project Gutenberg

The doctor took him into the laboratory and sent him back two days in time and had him do the job over—but right.

From Project Gutenberg

Black Hood propped one foot on a laboratory stool, rested an elbow on his knee.

From Project Gutenberg

One day the doctor set him at the task of clearing out his little laboratory.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• lab
• workshop