test-tube

adjective

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\ ˈtes(t)-ˌt(y)üb

Definition of test-tube

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : in vitro test-tube experiments

2 : produced by in vitro fertilization test-tube babies

test tube

noun

Definition of test tube (Entry 2 of 2)

: 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: Noun That’s where 95% of infections now stem from a viral variant that in test tube studies could dodge antibodies against the viral spike protein. — Jon Cohen, Science | AAAS, "How soon will COVID-19 vaccines return life to normal?," 16 Feb. 2021 One study of a SARS-CoV-2 mutant circulating widely in South Africa, published 19 January on the preprint server bioRxiv, has already shown this in test tube experiments. — Jon Cohen, Science | AAAS, "Monoclonal antibodies can prevent COVID-19—but successful vaccines complicate their future," 22 Jan. 2021 The same year, biophysicist Michael Rosen of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and colleagues showed that three proteins that collaborate to organize part of the cytoskeleton form liquid droplets in a test tube solution. — Mitch Leslie, Science | AAAS, "Sloppy science or groundbreaking idea? Theory for how cells organize contents divides biologists," 21 Jan. 2021 After the tissue was stained to identify the cancer under a microscope, the malignant areas were placed in a test tube and mixed with an enzyme to free its DNA secrets. — Sarah Elizabeth Richards, Wired, "One Man’s Search for the DNA Data That Could Save His Life," 19 Nov. 2020 Employees sat down, rubbed a small Q-tip inside each nostril for five seconds, deposited it into a test tube and headed home. — Madison Iszler, ExpressNews.com, "North San Antonio pub partnering with Community Labs to test employees for COVID-19," 2 Nov. 2020 At the bottom of the test tube are the white blood cells. — Mark Johnson And Kathleen Gallagher, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "One in a billion: Researchers seek clues in Nicholas' DNA -- and find more than they expected.," 21 Dec. 2010 What's left gets poured into a test tube of alcohol solution. — Mark Johnson And Kathleen Gallagher, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "One in a billion: Researchers seek clues in Nicholas' DNA -- and find more than they expected.," 21 Dec. 2010 On Marigny Street near St. Claude Avenue, a muralist known as Jedi has produced a marvelous portrait of the mythical mad scientist Morgus the Magnificent decanting a test tube into a smoldering beaker. — Doug Maccash, NOLA.com, "Franklin Ave. artwork changes with times, from education to Black Lives Matter to coronavirus," 31 Aug. 2020

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