Word
vitro
Phoneticsvit·ro
/ˈvitɹoʊ/
Definition
adj. happening in a lab or a test tube instead of inside a living person or animal. Scientists use this to test how things work in a controlled environment.
adj. occurring or performed in an artificial environment outside of a living organism, such as in a laboratory vessel or test tube. Often used in scientific research to isolate specific biological variables.
Examples
“The scientists tested the new drug in vitro first.”
“Before starting human trials, the researchers observed how the virus reacted to the treatment in vitro.”
“While the compound showed significant promise during in vitro testing, it failed to produce the same therapeutic effects when introduced to complex biological systems in later stages.”
Examples
simple
“The scientists tested the new drug in vitro first.”
contextual
“Before starting human trials, the researchers observed how the virus reacted to the treatment in vitro.”
complex
“While the compound showed significant promise during in vitro testing, it failed to produce the same therapeutic effects when introduced to complex biological systems in later stages.”
Usage
Typically follows the preposition 'in' to form an adverbial or adjectival phrase; when used as an adjective before a noun, it is often hyphenated ('in-vitro').
Real-World Examples
“These were in vitro experiments, meaning they took place outside a living organism rather than in people consuming the sweetener.” “It enables us to assess chemical risks using animal-free in silico and in vitro methods," says Sylvia Escher, a research scientist at Fraunhofer ITEM.” Scan code
englishreference.com/q/vitro