in vitro

Definition

Experiments or processes happening in the lab rather than inside a living organism, literally 'in glass' because test tubes and petri dishes are involved. It's where science happens before human testing.

Example Usage

The drug showed promising results in vitro, but that doesn't mean it'll work the same way in actual patients.

Origin

Latin phrase meaning 'in glass,' coined in the late 19th century to distinguish laboratory experiments from living organisms.

Fun Fact

In vitro fertilization (IVF) takes its name from this term because fertilization happens in a lab dish rather than a fallopian tube.

Source: Laboratory research and experimental terminology

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