A lab is a room or building equipped with special tools and materials where scientists conduct experiments and research. Short for laboratory, a lab is where people test ideas, make discoveries, and figure out how things work.

In a chemistry lab, you might find beakers, test tubes, and chemicals arranged on sturdy tables. A biology lab might have microscopes for examining tiny organisms and refrigerators for storing samples. Computer labs contain rows of computers for programming, research, or learning new software. Some labs study diseases to develop medicines, while others test new inventions or analyze evidence from crime scenes.

Professional scientists work in labs, but so do students. Your school probably has a science lab where you perform experiments like growing crystals or observing chemical reactions. The key feature of any lab is that it's designed for hands-on investigation: asking questions, testing hypotheses, and discovering answers through careful observation and measurement.

The word can also refer to a Labrador retriever, a friendly dog breed. When someone says “I have a lab,” they might mean either a workplace or a four-legged friend, so context matters!