laboratory

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noun, often attributive lab·o·ra·to·ry \ ˈla-b(ə-)rə-ˌtȯr-ē , sometimes ˈla-bər-ˌtȯr- or ˈla-bə-ˌtȯr- or lə-ˈbȯr-ə-ˌtȯr- , British usually lə-ˈbär-ə-t(ə-)rē \

Updated on: 11 Sep 2017

Definition of laboratory

plural laboratories

1 a :a place equipped for experimental study in a science or for testing and analysis

a research laboratory

; broadly :a place providing opportunity for experimentation, observation, or practice in a field of study

b :a place like a laboratory for testing, experimentation, or practice

That area is a laboratory for cultivating the germ of terrorism.

2 :an academic period set aside for laboratory work

a course of study requiring two lectures and one laboratory per week

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Examples of laboratory in a Sentence

experiments conducted in a modern laboratory

Recent Examples of laboratory from the Web

The commission approved five growers and processors, as well as one laboratory for analysis of the products, for licenses during its session Monday.

— david anderson, The Aegis, "Locations of medical marijuana dispensaries won't be public until state licenses are issued," 29 Aug. 2017
Preliminary surveys suggest a laboratory primarily used for fisheries research and aquaculture experienced some flooding but avoided major damage, Palmer says.

— science news staff, Science | AAAS, "As Harvey hovers, researchers take stock," 28 Aug. 2017
A Janus ordnance removal specialist said the company had found makeshift explosive devices in stoves in residences, in laboratories at Mosul University and in the milling machines of a cement factory.

— helene cooper, New York Times, "Pentagon Hopes to Declassify Hidden Threat in Mosul: ‘Dud’ U.S. Bombs," 17 Aug. 2017
In laboratory studies, researchers have been able to reliably provoke hallucinations in most subjects after only a single day of blindfolding.

— patrick blanchfield, Esquire, "Shot in the Dark," 1 Aug. 2017
The USDA laboratory in Aimes, Iowa confirmed the L-type BSE result in Alabama after the cow was observed exhibiting symptoms at an Alabama livestock market and died at that location.

— dennis pillion, AL.com, "What is 'atypical' mad cow? Alabama's bovine spongiform encephalopathy case explained," 19 July 2017
Technology firms are working closely with government agencies: Baidu, for example, has been asked to lead a national laboratory for deep learning.

— The Economist, "The algorithm kingdomChina may match or beat America in AI," 15 July 2017
Robert Nathan Ginsburg, a geologist and carbonate sedimentology professor at the University of Miami, ran one of the coolest marine laboratory offices this side of James Bond.

— howard cohen, miamiherald, "UM geologist Robert Ginsburg, who plumbed the deep to reveal its secrets, dies at 92," 12 July 2017
The RDW's investigation was centered on nitrogen oxide emission levels in diesel cars that appeared much higher than legally allowed during road driving rather than under laboratory test conditions.

— reuters, Fortune, "Jeep and Suzuki May Have Violated Emissions Rules," 10 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'laboratory.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.