biopsy
noun
bi·op·sy
ˈbī-ˌäp-sē 
plural biopsies
: the removal and examination of tissue, cells, or fluids from the living body
biopsy
transitive verb
Did you know?
Matter examined in a biopsy is always taken from a living organism. Most biopsies are done by using a needle to extract tissue or fluid, but some may instead require cutting, and others may amount to nothing more than swabbing the inside of the patient's cheek. Biopsies are best known as a means of detecting cancer, but a doctor may also take a biopsy of heart muscle to investigate suspected heart disease, for example, or perform a biopsy on a pregnant woman to test for disorders in the fetus.
Examples of biopsy in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
False positives, while not fatal, can be financially and emotionally costly, often leading to invasive procedures, biopsies, or unnecessary worry.
—
Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2025
After trips to several doctors, a biopsy revealed that Arch had early-stage breast cancer.
—T. Christian Miller, ProPublica, 12 Apr. 2025
Some skin diseases—like skin cancer—are readily diagnosed with a biopsy of the skin (removing a sample tissue for analysis in a lab).
—Team Verywell Health, Verywell Health, 3 Apr. 2025
Liquid biopsies must detect cancer early, differentiate between malignancies and avoid the pitfalls of false positives and negatives.
—Mariya Filipova, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for biopsy
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Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2025
After trips to several doctors, a biopsy revealed that Arch had early-stage breast cancer.
—T. Christian Miller, ProPublica, 12 Apr. 2025
Some skin diseases—like skin cancer—are readily diagnosed with a biopsy of the skin (removing a sample tissue for analysis in a lab).
—Team Verywell Health, Verywell Health, 3 Apr. 2025
Liquid biopsies must detect cancer early, differentiate between malignancies and avoid the pitfalls of false positives and negatives.
—Mariya Filipova, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for biopsy
Cite this Entry
“Biopsy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/biopsy. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
biopsy
noun
bi·op·sy
ˈbī-ˌäp-sē
plural biopsies
: the removal and examination of tissue, cells, or fluids from the living body
Medical Definition
biopsy
1 of 2 noun
bi·op·sy
ˈbī-ˌäp-sē
plural biopsies
: the removal and examination of tissue, cells, or fluids from the living body
biopsy
2 of 2 transitive verb
biopsied; biopsying
: to perform a biopsy on
the intestinal polyps were removed and biopsied
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