Definition

The removal and microscopic examination of tissue, cells, or fluid from a living body to determine disease presence, type, or extent—essentially, when doctors take samples to figure out what's actually wrong. It's the definitive diagnostic tool that moves you from 'probably fine' to 'here's exactly what we're dealing with.' Can range from quick needle aspirations to surgical excisions, all sharing the common goal of making pathologists squint at slides.

Example Usage

The suspicious lump led to a biopsy, followed by three days of anxious waiting that felt longer than the actual procedure.

Source: Medical terminology via Dictionary API

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