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Meaning & use

replication

noun·Academic

Last updated

UK/ˌreplɪˈkeɪʃn/
US/ˌreplɪˈkeɪʃn/

Meanings

  1. nouncountable or uncountabletechnical

    The act of copying something exactly or repeating a study to test whether its result holds.

    Grammar: Uncountable for the general process; countable when naming one attempt or instance: two replications.

    Patterns

    • replication of something
    • successful replication
    • independent replication

    Independent replication is essential before a medical claim is accepted.

    The lab ordered a full replication of the safety test.

  2. noununcountablebiologyspecialist

    In biology, the process by which a cell copies its genetic material before division.

    Grammar: Usually in the fixed phrase DNA replication or genome replication.

    Patterns

    • DNA replication
    • during replication
    • replication fork

    DNA replication must be accurate to prevent harmful mutations.

    The drug interferes with viral replication inside infected cells.

  3. nouncountableformalold-fashioned

    A reply or formal response, especially in older legal or religious use.

    Grammar: Countable and uncommon today; learners will usually meet reply instead.

    Patterns

    • a replication to something

    The court recorded a brief replication from the defendant.

    His replication defended the proposal against each charge.

Word forms

pluralreplications

Common combinations

DNA replication
Students modeled DNA replication with colored paper clips.
independent replication
The claim survived independent replication by two teams.
failed replication
A failed replication does not always mean fraud; methods may differ.

Synonyms and how they differ

reproduction
Useful for copies and offspring, but less tied to checking a scientific result.
duplication
Emphasizes making a second identical thing, not proving reliability.

Opposites

originalvariation

Word family

replicate verb
to copy or repeat
replicable adjective
able to be copied or repeated
replicative adjective
relating to or causing copying

Commonly confused: replication or repetition?

replication vs repetition

Repetition is doing again; replication often means exact copying or scientific verification.

Practice

Before trusting the study, scientists wanted ______ of its main result.

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