exam

¹ American

[ig-zam] / ɪgˈzæm /

noun

Informal.

an examination, as in school.

exam. ² American

abbreviation

examination.
examined.
examinee.
examiner.

exam British

/ ɪɡˈzæm /

noun

short for examination

"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

Etymology

Origin of exam

First recorded in 1875–80; short form

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In fact, I felt like a student who has crammed for a difficult exam and then is tested on only the most elementary material.

From Literature

Pitch, who said she knew one student in hospital with meningitis, said her exam had been moved online.

From BBC

Right now, such tests typically require very invasive physical exams.

From The Wall Street Journal

The new banks need to pass a final exam before they can begin operation.

From The Wall Street Journal

"I'm like you," the governor told the audience as he cited his poor exam results and difficulty reading.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023