biopsy

noun

bi·​op·​sy ˈbī-ˌäp-sē 

plural biopsies

: the removal and examination of tissue, cells, or fluids from the living body

biopsy transitive verb

Did you know?

Matter examined in a biopsy is always taken from a living organism. Most biopsies are done by using a needle to extract tissue or fluid, but some may instead require cutting, and others may amount to nothing more than swabbing the inside of the patient's cheek. Biopsies are best known as a means of detecting cancer, but a doctor may also take a biopsy of heart muscle to investigate suspected heart disease, for example, or perform a biopsy on a pregnant woman to test for disorders in the fetus.

Examples of biopsy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The content creator said her daughter underwent numerous X-rays, ultrasounds and a biopsy before the hospital team determined the cancer diagnosis. — Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026

One of the biggest concerns is that someone with an incidental finding may then have follow-up computed tomography scans, as well as ionizing radiation and biopsy complications, searching for something that never would have caused symptoms. — Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026

The test estimates a man's risk of aggressive prostate cancer, but a biopsy remains the gold standard for confirming the disease. — Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 27 June 2026

At the same time, her doctor back home has concerns about a recent biopsy. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 27 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary bi- entry 2 + -opsy (as in autopsy)

First Known Use

1887, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

biopsy

noun

bi·​op·​sy ˈbī-ˌäp-sē 

plural biopsies

: the removal and examination of tissue, cells, or fluids from the living body

Medical Definition

biopsy

1 of 2 noun

bi·​op·​sy ˈbī-ˌäp-sē 

plural biopsies

: the removal and examination of tissue, cells, or fluids from the living body

biopsy

2 of 2 transitive verb

biopsied; biopsying

: to perform a biopsy on

the intestinal polyps were removed and biopsied