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

"In just a few minutes on a laptop, the methods developed allow us to determine whether a GBS experiment is outputting the correct answer and what errors, if any, are present."

Read more on Science Daily

“I was really just asking people to be who they were, and somehow out of the breath we started vocalizing and doing experiments with how everyone sang and where we sounded good together.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"What could change the dial are experimental studies or evaluations of natural experiments. So evaluating the Australia ban is hugely important because it actually gives us a window on what might be happening."

Read more on Barron's

Its military has evolved its higher command arrangements, experimented with new force structures and built new drone units and tactics.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

In a University of California, Riverside experiment, most mice fed a high-fat diet rich in soybean oil put on substantial weight.

Read more on Science Daily

Related Words

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