laboratory
noun
lab·o·ra·to·ry
ˈla-b(ə-)rə-ˌtȯr-ē
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
Cite this Entry
“Laboratory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/laboratory. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.
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