experiment

[ik-sper-uh-muhnt, ek-sper-uh-ment]

noun

1. a test, trial, or tentative procedure; an act or operation for the purpose of discovering something unknown or of testing a principle, supposition, etc..

   a chemical experiment; a teaching experiment; an experiment in living.

2. the conducting of such operations; experimentation.

   a product that is the result of long experiment.

   Synonyms: investigation, research

3. Obsolete.,  experience.

verb (used without object)

1. to try or test, especially in order to discover or prove something.

   to experiment with a new procedure.

experiment

noun

1. a test or investigation, esp one planned to provide evidence for or against a hypothesis: a scientific experiment

2. the act of conducting such an investigation or test; experimentation; research

3. an attempt at something new or different; an effort to be original

   a poetic experiment

4. an obsolete word for experience

verb

1. (intr) to make an experiment or experiments

experiment

1. A test or procedure carried out under controlled conditions to determine the validity of a hypothesis or make a discovery.

2. See Note at hypothesis

Other Word Forms

• experimenter noun
• experimentor noun
• experimentator noun
• preexperiment noun
• proexperiment adjective
• reexperiment verb (used without object)
• unexperimented adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of experiment¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English: “proof,” from Latin experīmentum “test, trial,” from experī(rī) “to test, try” ( experience ) + -mentum -ment

Word History and Origins

Origin of experiment¹

C14: from Latin experīmentum proof, trial, from experīrī to test; see _experience

Synonym Study

See trial.

Example Sentences

A further experiment, where human volunteers walked through a scaled up version of this rat navigation test, suggested that the human brain has the same clock.

From BBC

BC Smith calls “Phasmagorica” an “experiment,” shirking at the word performance.

From Los Angeles Times

He experimented with a wide range of styles and themes in his long career, most notably inspiring Cubism, of which his 1937 work Weeping Woman is a leading example.

From BBC

She mainly uses ChatGPT but has experimented with Google Gemini to personally and professionally streamline her work and life.

From BBC

An exception is a small Loewe bucket bag inspired by Josef’s early glass assemblage experiments when he was a Bauhaus student, which abounds with glass bobbles and haptic surprise.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• analysis 
• attempt 
• enterprise 
• examination 
• exercise 
• experimentation 
• measure 
• observation 
• operation 
• practice 
• probe 
• procedure 
• research 
• search 
• study 
• trial 
• undertaking 
• venture