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
Similar to Milla’s story on the show, Ainscough was diagnosed with epithelioid sarcoma in 2008 following a biopsy of lumps from her left arm.
—
Kelsie Gibson, People.com, 6 Feb. 2025
As long as a biopsy is done and it’s recognized early, there’s a very high chance of cure with very simple and minimally invasive procedures.
—Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 24 Jan. 2025
Vitale had his most recent medical procedure last summer after a biopsy of a lymph node in his neck showed cancer.
—Chantz Martin, Fox News, 17 Jan. 2025
The biopsy of the patients cancer is given a drug sensitivity test, as a single agent or as drug combinations against the patients living cancer cells.
—Aaron Weitzman, Axios, 13 Jan. 2025
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Kelsie Gibson, People.com, 6 Feb. 2025
As long as a biopsy is done and it’s recognized early, there’s a very high chance of cure with very simple and minimally invasive procedures.
—Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 24 Jan. 2025
Vitale had his most recent medical procedure last summer after a biopsy of a lymph node in his neck showed cancer.
—Chantz Martin, Fox News, 17 Jan. 2025
The biopsy of the patients cancer is given a drug sensitivity test, as a single agent or as drug combinations against the patients living cancer cells.
—Aaron Weitzman, Axios, 13 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for biopsy
Dictionary Entries Near biopsy
Cite this Entry
“Biopsy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/biopsy. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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