laboratory
/ləˈbɒrəˌt(ə)ri
/ /ˈlab(ə)rəˌt(ə)ri /noun (plural laboratories)
1A room or building equipped for scientific experiments, research, or teaching, or for the manufacture of drugs or chemicals: [as modifier]: laboratory tests...
- The summer programs at the various laboratories will run from late May to mid-August, fall programs run from August through December and spring programs from January through May.
- Health benefits are often documented in laboratory studies of animals other than humans.
- Much has been learned about sleep from laboratory studies of non-human animals.
1.1 [as modifier] (Of an animal) bred for or used in experiments in laboratories: laboratory rats...
- A robust young laboratory mouse is doing well to hang on for thirty or forty seconds.
- He is the prime mover in an international contest to extend the lives of laboratory mice.
- It has also been linked to certain types of cancerous tumors in laboratory rats.
Origin
Early 17th century: from medieval Latin laboratorium, from Latin laborare 'to labour'.