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

In total, nine were tested through fecal exams, while two underwent liver biopsies, according to the L.A. County Department of Health. —Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024

So his team took the biopsies over eight weeks, only to discover that the process continued out to eight weeks and beyond. —Helen Branswell, STAT, 28 Mar. 2024

For What’s Happening Researchers can analyze the proteins present in a variety of tissues, from biopsies of tumors to biological fluids including blood, saliva, urine, tears or breast milk. —Danielle Whitham, Discover Magazine, 22 Mar. 2024

These assessment tools consider various factors such as age, race or ethnicity, history of past breast biopsies, and familial breast cancer history. —Kristina Behr, Parents, 15 Mar. 2024

The biopsy causes an infection, which requires antibiotics, which causes diarrhea; a hospitalization and lengthy rehabilitation follow. —Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2024

Days before his arrest, Mr. Ren told me that he was scheduled for a biopsy on suspicion of prostate cancer. —Li Yuan, New York Times, 29 Feb. 2024

In November 2021, near the end of her three-decade sentence, doctors finally performed a biopsy, according to her lawsuit. —Daniel Wu, Washington Post, 19 Feb. 2024

To be sure, McKeon paid a visit to her doctor, who did an ultrasound and took a biopsy. —Zoey Lyttle, Peoplemag, 28 Feb. 2024

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