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noninvasive

American  
[non-in-vey-siv] / ˌnɒn ɪnˈveɪ sɪv /

adjective

Medicine/Medical.
  1. not invading adjacent healthy cells, blood vessels, or tissues; localized.

    a noninvasive tumor.

  2. not entering or penetrating the body or disturbing body tissue, especially in a diagnostic procedure.


noninvasive British  
/ ˌnɒnɪnˈveɪsɪv /

adjective

  1. (of medical treatment) not involving the making of a relatively large incision in the body or the insertion of instruments, etc, into the patient

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of noninvasive

First recorded in 1970–75; non- + invasive

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.

See Examples For:

This technique is noninvasive and is performed with an MRI machine.

From Science Daily May 16, 2026

“We expect applicants to demonstrate how their Title X projects will integrate noninvasive, evidence-based practices that promote health literacy, fertility awareness, and reproductive health without unnecessary medicalization or symptom suppression.”

From Salon Apr. 28, 2026

Yes, this was uncomfortable, but comparatively breezy as far as medical procedures go — simple, brief and noninvasive.

From Los Angeles Times Mar. 17, 2026

Cardiologists favor this approach to stress testing to exclude coronary artery disease because it is relatively inexpensive, it is noninvasive and it yields a good deal of information about the structure of the heart.

From MarketWatch Mar. 10, 2026

Cervical carcinomas are divided into two types: invasive carcinomas, which have penetrated the surface of the cervix, and noninvasive carcinomas, which haven’t.

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot

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