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laboratory

[ lab-ruh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee, lab-er-uh-; British luh-bor-uh-tuh-ree, -uh-tree ]
/ ˈlæb rəˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i, ˈlæb ər ə-; British ləˈbɒr ə tə ri, -ə tri /
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See synonyms for: laboratory / laboratories on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural lab·o·ra·to·ries.
a building, part of a building, or other place equipped to conduct scientific experiments, tests, investigations, etc., or to manufacture chemicals, medicines, or the like.
any place, situation, set of conditions, or the like, conducive to experimentation, investigation, observation, etc.; anything suggestive of a scientific laboratory.
adjective
serving a function in a laboratory.
relating to techniques of work in a laboratory: laboratory methods; laboratory research.
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Origin of laboratory

1595–1605; <Medieval Latin labōrātōrium workshop, equivalent to Latin labōrā(re) to labor + -tōrium-tory2

OTHER WORDS FROM laboratory

lab·o·ra·to·ri·al, adjectivelab·o·ra·to·ri·al·ly, adverblab·o·ra·to·ri·an, nounin·ter·lab·o·ra·to·ry, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use laboratory in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for laboratory

laboratory
/ (ləˈbɒrətərɪ, -trɪ, US ˈlæbrəˌtɔːrɪ) /

noun plural -ries
  1. a building or room equipped for conducting scientific research or for teaching practical science
  2. (as modifier)laboratory equipment
a place where chemicals or medicines are manufactured
Often shortened to: lab

Word Origin for laboratory

C17: from Medieval Latin labōrātōrium workshop, from Latin labōrāre to labour
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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