test-tube

1 of 2

adjective

1
: in vitro
test-tube experiments
2
: produced by in vitro fertilization
test-tube babies

test tube

2 of 2

noun

: a plain or lipped tube usually of thin glass closed at one end and used especially in chemistry and biology

Examples of test-tube in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
In a departure from her usual beat, Ms. Hosler wrote a moving first person account in 1985 for the old Sunday Sun Magazine about her experiences as one of the first to go through Hopkins’s test-tube baby program which in her case was not successful. Frederick N. Rasmussen, Baltimore Sun, 11 Feb. 2024 National Geographic harnesses some of that tendency in this kit that contains instructions and equipment for 15 different gross experiments with themes like boiling boogers, farting slime, bursting blood cells, eyeballs, and test-tube vomit. Cheryl Fenton, Parents, 22 Nov. 2023 On this day 45 years ago, Louise Brown — the world’s first test-tube baby — was born. Elvia Limón, Los Angeles Times, 25 July 2023
Noun
Facebook Show more sharing options SAN DIEGO — Periodic downpours Saturday were no match for ice cold volcanic eruptions, whimsical robots, and colorful test tube experiments, as families flocked to Snapdragon Stadium for the annual San Diego Festival of Science and Engineering’s Expo Day. Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2024 If not serving immediately, gently shake each test tube before serving as the ingredients will settle slightly. Lauren Hubbard, Town & Country, 2 Aug. 2023 The ground is littered with bottles of water, soft drinks and test tubes containing leaf and soil samples used in DNA testing to identify the dead. Roger Cohen Avishag Shaar-Yashuv, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2023 The locks were decontaminated one hair at a time using tweezers and a light bleach concentration; they were then rinsed in water and put into a test tube. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 22 Mar. 2023 Such a test tube mammoth wouldn’t just be a feat for genetics, but, some researchers contend, might help revive ancient ecological reactions among the world’s remaining steppe habitats. Riley Black, Discover Magazine, 28 Nov. 2022 Reluctantly, Rowan drinks the test tube of unidentified liquid the woman buys her off a sidewalk shot girl. Time, 5 Jan. 2023 Additional Uses In addition to the above uses, burdock has been researched in animals or test tube studies for the following conditions: Ulcerative colitis7 Type 2 diabetes9 Obesity14 Alzheimer's disease4 Viruses like flu and adenovirus4 Keep in mind that these studies are only preliminary. Megan Nunn, Pharmd, Verywell Health, 21 July 2023 Most of the existing studies on humans are small and other studies have been done on animals and in vitro, meaning in a test tube or culture disk—nowhere near the level of testing needed to see results in humans. Perri O. Blumberg, Men's Health, 5 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'test-tube.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1866, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1846, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of test-tube was in 1846

Dictionary Entries Near test-tube

Cite this Entry

“Test-tube.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/test-tube. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

test tube

noun
: a tube of thin glass closed at one end and used especially in chemistry and biology

Medical Definition

test-tube

1 of 2 adjective
1
: in vitro
test-tube experiments
2
: produced by in vitro fertilization
test-tube babies

test tube

2 of 2 noun
: a plain or lipped tube usually of thin glass closed at one end and used especially in chemistry and biology
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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