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Glite Dictionary
laboratory bench

laboratory bench

3.7
A strong table in a lab where people do experiments
  • noun
  • /ˈlæbəˌrɑːtɔri bɛnʧ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : mesa de laboratorio
  • The scientist explained her findings while working at the laboratory bench filled with test tubes and beakers.

Examples

  • Laboratory benches, scattered with research materials, are as much a part of nutrigenomics as desktop computers and the files and databases that are stored on their hard drives.

    Academic text (2008)

  • I organized all my lab equipment neatly on the laboratory bench before starting my experiment.

  • The panels eliminate the tangle of tubing, traps, and regulators commonly scattered across laboratory benches or behind laboratory instruments.

    Academic text (1996)

  • Before beginning the analysis, she made sure the laboratory bench was clean and free of clutter.

Synonyms

bench
vslaboratory bench
41 1.2

A strong table used for building or fixing things in a workshop

is used in scientific settings rather than general manual workshops
lab bench
vslaboratory bench
  • Specialized
2 2.8

A long sturdy table in a lab used for experiments

has identical meaning but uses a different common name

How Sturdy

workbench
18 3.2
laboratory bench
  • Specialized
3.7
bench
41 1.2
table
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

laboratory bench singular
laboratory benches plural

Morphology

laboratory + bench

The meaning 'a sturdy table or surface in a laboratory used for experiments' is directly and compositionally derived from 'laboratory' (room for experiments) + 'bench' (work table). This noun–noun compound follows a common, cross-linguistic compositional pattern in technical vocabulary, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Laboratory bench comes from the clear image of a scientist's work table: laboratory is the place for 'experiments' and bench is a strong table used for 'work' or to hold tools. That's why laboratory bench means a sturdy table where people do experiments.