laboratory

noun

lab·​o·​ra·​to·​ry ˈla-b(ə-)rə-ˌtȯr-ē How to pronounce laboratory (audio)
 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Provincial governments increasingly have to turn to private, more expensive, laboratories to fill their stocks. Anita Pouchard Serra & Natalie Alcoba, The Dial, 13 Mar. 2025 At each of the facilities, experienced volunteer health care professionals provide services in a caring environment and partner with laboratories, diagnostic centers, hospitals and treatment centers to connect patients with low-cost options for those additional types of services. Orlando Sentinel Staff, Orlando Sentinel, 13 Mar. 2025 Fortune reports that an independent laboratory, Valisure, did some digging and testing and found that many popular benzoyl peroxide products had some benzene contamination. Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 11 Mar. 2025 During laboratory experiments, scientists watched male blue-ringed octopuses inject a dose of TTX into their mate’s aorta on the back of her head. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for laboratory

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin laboratorium, from Latin laborare to labor, from labor

First Known Use

1592, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of laboratory was in 1592

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Laboratory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/laboratory. Accessed 16 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

laboratory

noun
lab·​o·​ra·​to·​ry ˈlab-(ə-)rə-ˌtōr-ē How to pronounce laboratory (audio) -ˌtȯr- How to pronounce laboratory (audio)
plural laboratories
: a place equipped for making scientific experiments and tests

Medical Definition

laboratory

noun
lab·​o·​ra·​to·​ry
ˈlab-(ə-)rə-ˌtōr-ē, -ˌtȯr-, British usually lə-ˈbär-ə-t(ə-)rē
plural laboratories
often attributive
: a place equipped for experimental study in a science or for testing and analysis

More from Merriam-Webster on laboratory

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!