pap smear

IPA/ˈpæp smɪə(r)/
IPA/ˈpæp smɪr/

pap smear — noun

1. A routine medical screening in which a healthcare professional gently takes a sm

1.nounB2
Definition

A routine medical screening in which a healthcare professional gently takes a small sample of cells from the surface of a woman's cervix so the cells can be examined under a microscope for abnormal changes that could lead to cancer.

Example

Nala's doctor recommended that she get a pap smear during her annual check-up.

get a pap smear: common collocation for undergoing the test

Every three years, Lara goes to the clinic for a routine pap smear test.

routine pap smear: typical collocation with frequency

Common collocations
  • have a pap smear
  • get a pap smear
  • do a pap smear
  • routine pap smear
  • abnormal pap smear
  • pap smear results
  • pap smear screening
  • pap smear test
Synonyms
  • Pap test

    A shorter, interchangeable name for the same procedure; very common in the United States.

  • cervical smear

    The preferred term in British English and many Commonwealth countries.

  • Papanicolaou test

    The formal medical name, named after Dr. George Papanicolaou who developed the technique; used mainly in professional settings.

Grammar Patterns

have/get/do + a pap smear

pap smear + noun (test, results, screening)

Usage Note

Frequently used with 'have', 'get', or 'do' ('I had a pap smear last week.'). In British English, the same test is often called a 'cervical smear' or 'smear test'. This sense refers to the entire medical procedure from cell collection to lab analysis.

Common Mistakes

A pap smear tests for sexually transmitted diseases.
A pap smear looks for abnormal cells in the cervix that could lead to cancer.
Pap smears screen for cervical cell changes, not for STDs.
I need a pap smear because my stomach hurts.
I need a pap smear as part of routine cervical cancer screening.
A pap smear is a preventive screening test, not a test for stomach pain or general illness.

2. The laboratory technique of applying a specific dye mixture to the collected cel

2.nounC1
Definition

The laboratory technique of applying a specific dye mixture to the collected cell sample so that abnormal and precancerous cells take on a different colour from healthy cells and become clearly visible under a microscope.

Example

Dr. Papanicolaou invented the staining method for pap smears in the nineteen-twenties.

In the laboratory, the dye makes abnormal cells appear a different colour from normal ones.

makes + abnormal cells appear + different colour: how the stain distinguishes cell types

Common collocations
  • Papanicolaou staining method
  • pap smear stain
  • staining technique
  • dye mixture
  • cell staining
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

Papanicolaou staining method

staining technique used in pap smear

Usage Note

This sense refers only to the laboratory staining step, not to the clinical procedure of collecting the sample. Distinguish from sense 1 (the full screening test), where the focus is on the patient's experience and the overall purpose.

Word family

  • Pap test
    nounB2
  • cervical smear
    nounB2
  • Papanicolaou test
    nounC1
  • smear test
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

A Pap smear (also called a Pap test) is specifically a screening test that collects cells from the cervix to look for abnormal changes. 'Cervical smear' means the same thing and is the standard term in British English. 'Papanicolaou test' is the formal medical name used in reports and professional writing. Learners often confuse a Pap smear with a pelvic exam — a pelvic exam is a broader physical inspection of the reproductive organs that may or may not include cell sampling. An HPV test is a separate lab test that checks for the virus that can cause cervical cell changes; it is sometimes done together with a Pap smear but is not the same procedure.

Pap testcervical smearPapanicolaou testpelvic exam

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • pap smear test
  • cervical cancer screening
  • cell sample collection

Prepositions

Etymology

Greek (surname Papanikolaou)English (smear)

Named after Dr. George Papanicolaou (1883–1962), a Greek-American physician and pathologist who developed the cell-staining technique and the screening method in the 1920s–1940s. 'Smear' refers to the way the collected cells are spread ('smeared') onto a glass slide for microscopic examination.

First known use

1952

1952, in the meaning defined above