# lab

Pronunciation: US say "LAB" /læb/; UK

## Noun

1. A laboratory: a room or building equipped for scientific experiments, research, or testing. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: A short word for laboratory: a room where scientists do tests and experiments.
   - _The university just opened a new lab for climate research._
   - _Technicians in the crime lab spent weeks analyzing the evidence._
2. A Labrador retriever, a medium-to-large breed of dog widely kept as a family pet and working dog. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: A Labrador retriever: a friendly, popular kind of dog with short hair.
   - _A chocolate lab bounded across the park to fetch the ball._
   - _The trainer says labs learn quickly because they love food rewards._
3. A laboratory experiment, test, or investigation, or the result of one. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: A test done in a laboratory, or the result of the test.
   - _Each student must complete a lab on acid-base reactions by Friday._
   - _The nurse drew blood for several labs before the surgery._

## Origin

**Meanings 1, 3** — A shortened form (clipping) of "laboratory."
**Meaning 2** — A shortened form (clipping) of "Labrador retriever."

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/lab (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).