In Situ Definition & Meaning

American

British

Cultural

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms in situ American [in sahy-too, -tyoo, see-, in sit-oo] / ɪn ˈsaɪ tu, -tyu, ˈsi-, ɪn ˈsɪt u /

adverb

1. situated in the original, natural, or existing place or position.

   The archaeologists were able to date the vase because it was found in situ.

2. Medicine/Medical.

   1. in place or position; undisturbed.

   2. (especially of a malignant tumor) in a localized state or condition.

      carcinoma in situ.

in situ British / ɪn ˈsɪtjuː /

adverb

1. in the natural, original, or appropriate position

2. pathol (esp of a cancerous growth or tumour) not seen to be spreading from a localized position

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 in situ Cultural

1. In the original place or arrangement: “The body was left in situ until the police arrived.” From Latin, meaning “in position.”

Etymology

Origin of in situ

First recorded in 1730–40, in situ is from Latin in sitū literally, “in place”

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Additional evidence from in situ Raman spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations supports the proposed mechanism, confirming that the engineered interface efficiently drives oxygen evolution.

From Science Daily

"We have never seen a ten-meter-size asteroid in situ, so we don't really know what to expect and how it will look," says Santana-Ros, who is also affiliated with the University of Barcelona.

From Science Daily

Potential bidders will be allowed to see it in situ, he said, but they won’t be allowed to use it.

From The Wall Street Journal

In recent years, Puglia has started to export its culinary heritage—burrata, anyone?—but many of the region’s specialties are still best sampled in situ.

From The Wall Street Journal

Researchers can now pinpoint active degraders in situ, map the progression of glycan breakdown through space and time, and quantify turnover rates in complex communities.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• situated

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.