test-tube

1 of 2

adjective

ˈtes(t)-ˌt(y)üb 

1

: in vitro

test-tube experiments

2

: produced by in vitro fertilization

test-tube babies

test tube

2 of 2

noun

: a plain or lipped tube usually of thin glass closed at one end and used especially in chemistry and biology

Examples of test-tube in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The performers are admirably committed, with Bons (who looks rather like adolescent Reese Witherspoon) credible as a sort of media test-tube baby — perfectly formed on the outside, her internal development hobbled from lack of healthy exposure to average people’s reality. —Dennis Harvey, Variety, 29 Sep. 2025

After developing into an embryo in a test-tube, it’s implanted into the womb of a female surrogate animal. —Emily Mullin, Wired News, 7 Apr. 2025

Noun

The researchers filled a test tube with fresh, type O+ human blood and inserted two conducting wire probes. —Perri Thaler, IEEE Spectrum, 27 Nov. 2025

Chemistry kits can contain chemicals that are a fire hazard along with breakable glass parts like test tubes. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 23 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1866, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1846, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for test-tube

• boob
• cube
• lube
• rube
• tube
• hypercube
• nanotube
• phototube

Kids Definition

test tube

noun

: a tube of thin glass closed at one end and used especially in chemistry and biology

Medical Definition

test-tube

1 of 2 adjective

1

: in vitro

test-tube experiments

2

: produced by in vitro fertilization

test-tube babies

test tube

2 of 2 noun

: a plain or lipped tube usually of thin glass closed at one end and used especially in chemistry and biology