Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

biopsy

/ˈbaɪɑpsi/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.31 in modern English

Syllables: biop-sy
IPA: /ˈbaɪɑpsi/

13

Scrabble Score

6

Letters

3

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The removal and examination of a sample of tissue, cells, or bodily fluid from a living body for diagnostic purposes.

verb

To take a sample (a biopsy) for pathological examination.

Example Sentences

"We will need to perform a biopsy to determine whether the tumour is malignant or benign."
"All the while he was talking, he took lots of biopsies, small samples of tissue to be examined by pathologists using a microscope."
"They biopsied the lump but it turned out to be non-cancerous."

Etymology

From French biopsie, from bi- + -opsy.

Origin

Source language: French

Word Breakdown

Root: biopsie

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈbaɪɑpsi/

Inflected Forms

biopsies (plural) biopsies (present, singular) biopsying (participle, present) biopsied (participle, past) biopsied (past)

Derived Forms

cryobiopsy microbiopsy neurobiopsy postbiopsy prebiopsy rebiopsy unbiopsied

Phrases

cone biopsy needle aspiration biopsy

Frequently Paired Words

biopsic bioptic

Questions

How do you pronounce biopsy?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈbaɪɑpsi/.
What does biopsy mean?: The removal and examination of a sample of tissue, cells, or bodily fluid from a living body for diagnostic purposes.
Where does biopsy come from?: It is traced to French.

How to pronounce biopsy

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “biopsy”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈbaɪɑpsi/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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