laboratory

laboratory
—laboratorial, adj. —laboratorially, adv. —laboratorian, n.
/lab"reuh tawr'ee, -tohr'ee, lab"euhr euh-/; Brit. /leuh bor"euh teuh ree, -euh tree/, n., pl. laboratories, adj.
n.
1. 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.
2. any place, situation, set of conditions, or the like, conducive to experimentation, investigation, observation, etc.; anything suggestive of a scientific laboratory.
adj.
3. serving a function in a laboratory.
4. relating to techniques of work in a laboratory: laboratory methods; laboratory research.
[1595-1605; < ML laboratorium workshop, equiv. to L labora(re) to LABOR + -torium -TORY2]

* * *

Place where scientific research and development is conducted and analyses performed, in contrast with the field or factory.

Most laboratories are characterized by controlled uniformity of conditions (constant temperature, humidity, cleanliness). Modern laboratories use a vast number of instruments and procedures to study, systematize, or quantify the objects of their attention. Procedures often include sampling, pretreatment and treatment, measurement, calculation, and presentation of results; each may be carried out by techniques ranging from having an unaided person use crude tools to running an automated analysis system with computer controls, data storage, and elaborate readouts.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Laboratory — Lab o*ra*to*ry, n.; pl. {Laboratories}. [Shortened fr. elaboratory; cf. OF. elaboratoire, F. laboratoire. See {Elaborate}, {Labor.}] [Formerly written also {elaboratory}.] 1. The workroom of a chemist; also, a place devoted to experiments in any… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • laboratory — [n] testing room chemistry laboratory, lab, research laboratory, workshop; concepts 312,439,441,448,449 …   New thesaurus

  • laboratory — [lab′rə tôr΄ē; ] occas. [ lab′ər ə tôr΄ē; ] Brit [ lə bôr′ə tər ē] n. pl. laboratories [ML laboratorium < L laborare: see LABOR, vi.] 1. a room, building, etc. for scientific experimentation or research 2. a place for preparing chemicals,… …   English World dictionary

  • laboratory — UK US /ləˈbɒrətəri/ US  /ˈlæbrətɔːri/ noun [C] (plural laboratories) (INFORMAL lab) ► a room or building with equipment for doing scientific tests: »The company makes analytical equipment for industrial and research laboratories. »laboratory… …   Financial and business terms

  • laboratory — (n.) c.1600, building set apart for scientific experiments, from M.L. laboratorium a place for labor or work, from L. laboratus, pp. of laborare to work (see LABOR (Cf. labor) (n.)). Figurative use by 1660s …   Etymology dictionary

  • laboratory — is pronounced in BrE with the stress on the second syllable and in AmE with the stress on the first syllable (and the final syllable like Tory) …   Modern English usage

  • laboratory — ► NOUN (pl. laboratories) ▪ a room or building for scientific experiments, research, or teaching, or for the manufacture of drugs or chemicals. ORIGIN Latin laboratorium, from laborare to labour …   English terms dictionary

  • Laboratory — Modern biochemistry laboratory at the University of Cologne …   Wikipedia

  • laboratory — 01. He was working in his [laboratory] on some kind of experiment when the explosion occurred. 02. We went to the Language [lab] once a week to work on our listening skills. 03. There was an accident in the chemistry [laboratory] when some guy… …   Grammatical examples in English

  • laboratory */*/ — UK [ləˈbɒrət(ə)rɪ] / US [ˈlæbrəˌtɔrɪ] noun [countable] Word forms laboratory : singular laboratory plural laboratories a) a building or large room where people do scientific and medical experiments or research our new research laboratory b) [only …   English dictionary

  • laboratory — lab|o|ra|to|ry [ læbrə,tɔri, British lə bɔrət(ə)ri ] noun count ** a building or large room where people do scientific and medical experiments or research: our new research laboratory a. only before noun working in, used in, or done in a… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”