From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary EnglishPap smearˈPap smear noun [countable] American EnglishMH a medical test that takes cells from a woman’s cervix and examines them for signs of cancer SYN smear test British English
Examples from the Corpus
Pap smear• After a Pap smear is done, the doctor simply swabs vinegar on the cervix and shines the blue-white light on it.• At what age should a woman begin having an annual Pap smear?• To be recalled for a second Pap smear is to catch the disease of fear.• Thompson said the Pap smear only detects cervical cancer; it does not detect ovarian cancer or endometrial cancer.• The Pap smear is officially called the Papanicolaou Test, after the doctor who invented it.Origin Pap smear (1900-2000) George N. Papanicolaou (1883-1962), U.S. (Greek-born) medical scientist 