PCR test

noun

ˌpē-ˌsē-ˈär- 

plural PCR tests

: a test in which genetic material from a sample undergoes amplification (see amplification sense 1b) and that is used for forensic, diagnostic, or research purposes (as for DNA fingerprinting or detection of pathogens and genetic disorders) : a test utilizing polymerase chain reaction

Police use the PCR test because … it provides quick information on whether there's a link between evidence and a suspect …

—Shirley E. Perlman

Mpox can be diagnosed using a PCR test from a sample collected from the rash.

—Allen Limos

Traditionally, women with signs of womb cancer would need a transvaginal ultrasound scan … in order to confirm or rule out disease. The new PCR test is a simple swab, which is sent off to a laboratory for analysis. Scientists then look for changes in the DNA that indicate whether womb cancer is present or not.

—The Daily Telegraph (London)

PCR testing noun

PCR testing soared during the pandemic as the go-to, drive-through, quick-turnaround way to discover if you had COVID.

—Roberta Baker

Examples of PCR test in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Since about 2010, samples have been tested with GeneXpert, a nucleic acid amplification PCR test that can identify TB and simultaneously detect resistance to the antibiotic Rifampin in about two hours, using an expensive ($20,000-$30,000) specialized machine with high ongoing maintenance costs. —Judy Stone, Forbes.com, 23 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

p(olymerase) c(hain) r(eaction)

First Known Use

1988, in the meaning defined above