laboratory
noun
lab·o·ra·to·ry
ˈla-b(ə-)rə-ˌtȯr-ē 
sometimes ˈla-bər-ˌtȯr-,
or ˈla-bə-ˌtȯr-,
or lə-ˈbȯr-ə-ˌtȯr-
plural laboratories
often attributive
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
Examples of laboratory in a Sentence
experiments conducted in a modern laboratory
Recent Examples on the Web
The overwhelming majority of laboratory scientists, epidemiologists, and pediatricians who have devoted their lives to the study of childhood disease say that routine immunizations are beneficial, and that serious side effects are rare.
—
ArsTechnica, 4 Aug. 2025
The Democrat nomenklatura figured out that cute laboratory animals were a lot sympathetic than any of the DEI plagiarists at Harvard making a million bucks a year as professional victims.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 3 Aug. 2025
During that mission, Yui helped construct laboratory equipment in Japan's Kibo science module.
—Brett Tingley, Space.com, 1 Aug. 2025
The idea SARS-CoV-2 might have originated in a laboratory is not, in itself, a conspiracy theory.
—CNN Money, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for laboratory
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ArsTechnica, 4 Aug. 2025
The Democrat nomenklatura figured out that cute laboratory animals were a lot sympathetic than any of the DEI plagiarists at Harvard making a million bucks a year as professional victims.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 3 Aug. 2025
During that mission, Yui helped construct laboratory equipment in Japan's Kibo science module.
—Brett Tingley, Space.com, 1 Aug. 2025
The idea SARS-CoV-2 might have originated in a laboratory is not, in itself, a conspiracy theory.
—CNN Money, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for laboratory
Cite this Entry
“Laboratory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/laboratory. Accessed 8 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
laboratory
noun
lab·o·ra·to·ry
ˈlab-(ə-)rə-ˌtōr-ē
-ˌtȯr-
-ˌtȯr-
plural laboratories
: a place equipped for making scientific experiments and tests
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