English Reference

Word

biopsy

Phoneticsbiop·sy

US/ˈbaɪɑpsi/

UK/baɪˈɒpsi/

Definition

n. a small piece of tissue taken from your body to check for disease. Doctors examine it under a microscope to see if cells are healthy.

n. a sample of living tissue removed from the body for microscopic examination and diagnosis.

Examples

“The doctor ordered a biopsy to check the lump.”

“She waited two weeks for the biopsy results to confirm the diagnosis.”

“The surgeon performed a needle biopsy during the routine check-up, ensuring minimal discomfort while obtaining sufficient tissue for analysis.”

Examples

simple

“The doctor ordered a biopsy to check the lump.”

contextual

“She waited two weeks for the biopsy results to confirm the diagnosis.”

complex

“The surgeon performed a needle biopsy during the routine check-up, ensuring minimal discomfort while obtaining sufficient tissue for analysis.”

Real-World Examples

“A small biopsy was taken from each animal, and the animals were returned to where they were taken.”
Phys.org · 21 Sept 2026

Etymology

From French biopsie, from bi- + -opsy.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Frequent
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/biopsy

English Reference