in situ

[ in sahy-too, -tyoo, see-; Latin in sit-oo ]
See synonyms for in situ on Thesaurus.com
adverb, adjective
  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.

    • in place or position; undisturbed.

    • (especially of a malignant tumor) in a localized state or condition: carcinoma in situ.

Origin of in situ

1
First recorded in 1730–40, in situ is from Latin in sitū literally, “in place”

Words Nearby in situ

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for in situ

in situ

/ Latin (ɪn ˈsɪtjuː) /


adverb, adjective(postpositive)
  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

Cultural definitions for in situ

in situ

[ (in seye-tooh, in sit-ooh) ]


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

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.