examination

[ ig-zam-uh-ney-shuhn ]

noun

1. the act of examining; inspection; inquiry; investigation.

   Synonyms: observation

2. the state of being examined.
3. the act or process of testing pupils, candidates, etc., as by questions.
4. the test itself; the list of questions asked.
5. the answers, statements, etc., made by one examined.
6. Law. formal interrogation.

examination

/ ɪɡˌzæmɪˈneɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of examining or state of being examined
2. education
   1. written exercises, oral questions, or practical tasks, set to test a candidate's knowledge and skill
   2. ( as modifier )

      an examination paper

3. med
   1. physical inspection of a patient or parts of his body, in order to verify health or diagnose disease
   2. laboratory study of secretory or excretory products, tissue samples, etc, esp in order to diagnose disease
4. law the formal interrogation of a person on oath, esp of an accused or a witness

Derived Forms

• exˌamiˈnational, adjective

Other Words From

• ex·ami·nation·al adjective
• preex·ami·nation noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of examination¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English examinacioun, from Middle French, Old French examinacion, examination, “interrogation,” from Latin exāminātiōn- (stem of exāminātiō ). See examine, -ation

Synonym Study

Examination, inspection, scrutiny refer to a looking at something. An examination usually means a careful noting of details: A thorough examination of the plumbing revealed a defective pipe. An inspection is a formal and official examination: an inspection of records, a military inspection. Scrutiny implies a critical and minutely detailed examination: The papers seemed to be in good order, but they would not stand close scrutiny. investigation.

Example Sentences

Rodríguez, for example, said the physical examination the medical personnel performed was inadequate because they placed the stethoscope over two and three layers of clothing.

From Washington Blade

A heart monitor takes a reading multiple times per second, while information from a routine medical examination might come only once or twice per year.

From Fortune

That would mean his visit included an expanded, problem-focused history and examination.

From ProPublica

It’s some kind of examination of ourselves as humans, and not really the crime itself, which can be a bit of a MacGuffin.

From Vox

Her college entrance examination scores, she was told, had won her admission to the English department of the Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications.

From MIT Technology Review

An examination of some of the rumors surrounding the newest entry in the Star Wars canon.

From The Daily Beast

An examination of the complicated history of America and its movies in the Republic of Korea.

From The Daily Beast

All of this requires rigorous self-examination: When you can be anything you want to be, what do you want to be?

From The Daily Beast

An electrocardiogram is taken over the phone and then sent to his physician for examination.

From The Daily Beast

If the witness did in fact witness such a terrible crime, the testimony will survive in the crucible of cross-examination.

From The Daily Beast

As a rule, however, even in the case of extreme varieties, a careful examination of the specimen will enable it to be identified.

From Project Gutenberg

Being quieted by the Captain with a draught of cold tea, and made to sit down, the examination of the book proceeded.

From Project Gutenberg

Indeed, a score of bodies lying there had not been seen by Malcolm during his first frenzied examination of the house.

From Project Gutenberg

It was a tremendous training in the sifting of evidence and the examination of appearances.

From Project Gutenberg

This is simpler than having to cram and then stand the racket of a competitive examination.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• audit
• checking
• checkup
• cross-examination
• diagnosis
• experiment
• exploration
• inquiry
• inspection
• interrogation
• investigation
• observation
• probe
• questioning
• questionnaire
• raid
• research
• review
• scan
• scrutiny