What does laboratory mean?
A laboratory is a place where scientific research, experiments, and tests are conducted. The word commonly refers to a room or building supplied with equipment and materials for work in chemistry, biology, physics, medicine, or other sciences, but it can also denote an institution or specialized department devoted to investigation. In everyday contexts, “lab” is the usual informal alternative. Laboratory work often involves careful observation, measurement, and repeated testing, so the word carries associations of precision, evidence, experimentation, and controlled conditions. It can also suggest innovation or technical expertise, as in a pharmaceutical or medical laboratory. The term is therefore broader than merely a physical room: it can refer both to the site of scientific work and to the organization or community conducting that work.
nounA room, building, or institution equipped for scientific research, experimentation, or the practical study of a subject. In extended use, a laboratory may also mean a specialized department or organization devoted to investigation.
- A room or building where scientific experiments, observations, or tests are carried out.
- An institution or department whose purpose is scientific research or the development of specialized techniques.
"The samples were tested in a well-equipped chemistry laboratory."
"The museum has a laboratory for conserving fragile documents."
"Her work at a public-health laboratory focuses on infectious diseases."
The usual plural in general usage; the form laboratories is preferred in formal and academic writing.
"Several laboratories are testing new diagnostic techniques."
The word laboratory literally means a place of work, a fitting description of a space where evidence becomes knowledge.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does laboratory come from?
The word entered English through Medieval Latin laboratory, meaning a place for work or labor, from the Latin verb laborare, “to work.” The underlying idea of work or toil also appears in related English forms such as labour, labor, laborious, and laborer. Over time, laboratory developed its specifically scientific sense, referring to a place where investigators perform controlled experimental work.
Related word forms
How laboratory is actually used
The word is formal and common in scientific, educational, industrial, and regulatory contexts. The shortened form “lab” is widely used in speech and informal writing, especially in educational and workplace settings.