1. the practice of performing operations on living animals for scientific research
Usage: scientific; medical research

Examples

• The ethics committee reviewed all proposed vivisections carefully.
• Many universities have strict protocols governing vivisections.
• Animal rights activists protested against vivisections at the research facility.
• The scientist’s vivisections led to important medical breakthroughs.
• Modern alternatives have reduced the need for vivisections in some studies.
• The laboratory was licensed to conduct vivisections on laboratory mice.
• Public opinion on vivisections remains divided between scientific progress and animal welfare.