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• test tube
  test tube

  noun

  a hollow cylinder of thin glass with one end closed, used in chemical and biological experimentation and analysis.
• test-tube
  test-tube

  adjective

  produced in or as if in a test tube; synthetic or experimental.

test tube

¹ American  

noun

1. a hollow cylinder of thin glass with one end closed, used in chemical and biological experimentation and analysis.

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test-tube ² American  

[test-toob, -tyoob] / ˈtɛstˌtub, -ˌtyub /

adjective

1. produced in or as if in a test tube; synthetic or experimental.

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test tube British  

noun

1. a cylindrical round-bottomed glass tube open at one end: used in scientific experiments

2. (modifier) made synthetically in, or as if in, a test tube

   a test-tube product

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test tube Scientific  

/ tĕst /

1. A cylindrical tube of clear glass, usually open at one end and rounded at the other, used as a container for small amounts of a substance in laboratory tests and experiments.

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Etymology

Origin of test tube¹

First recorded in 1840–50

Origin of test-tube²

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

Test tube labelled "Monkeypox virus positive" is seen in this illustration taken May 22, 2022.

From Reuters • May 28, 2022

Test tube with Coronavirus label is seen in this illustration taken on January 29, 2020.

From Reuters • Feb. 2, 2022

Test tube with Corona virus name label is seen in this illustration taken on January 29, 2020.

From Reuters • Jan. 31, 2022

Test tube meat You don’t have to be easily grossed out to find part of this experiment disturbing.

From Forbes • Jul. 31, 2011

Test tube production of babies is an alternative to natural procreation.

From The Civilization of Illiteracy by Nadin, Mihai