laboratory

American  

[lab-ruh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee, lab-er-uh-, luh-bor-uh-tuh-ree, -uh-tree] / ˈlæb rəˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i, ˈlæb ər ə-, ləˈbɒr ə tə ri, -ə tri /

noun

plural

laboratories

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.

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adjective

1. serving a function in a laboratory.

2. relating to techniques of work in a laboratory.

   laboratory methods; laboratory research.

laboratory British  

/ -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

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Other Word Forms

• interlaboratory adjective
• laboratorial adjective
• laboratorially adverb
• laboratorian noun

Etymology

Origin of laboratory

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

Example Sentences

This unusual mixture is known as dusty plasma, a rare state of matter that exists both in outer space and inside laboratory experiments.

From Science Daily

Today, V1298 Tau stands out as a natural laboratory for studying how the most common planets in the Milky Way come into existence.

From Science Daily

In laboratory tests, the team experimented with tubes of different lengths, reaching nearly half a meter.

From Science Daily

These predictions closely matched results from both simulations and laboratory experiments.

From Science Daily

Previous foreign laboratories have led to constructive changes by U.S. policymakers.

From Barron's

Related Words

• lab
• workshop