experimental
Americanadjective
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pertaining to, derived from, or founded on experiment.
an experimental science.
-
of the nature of an experiment; tentative.
The new program is still in an experimental stage.
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functioning as an experiment or used for experimentation.
an experimental airplane.
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based on or derived from experience; empirical.
experimental knowledge.
noun
adjective
-
relating to, based on, or having the nature of experiment
an experimental study
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based on or derived from experience; empirical
experimental evidence
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tending to experiment
an experimental artist
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tentative or provisional
an experimental rule in football
Other Word Forms
- experimentally adverb
- nonexperimental adjective
- nonexperimentally adverb
- postexperimental adjective
- preexperimental adjective
- pseudoexperimental adjective
- pseudoexperimentally adverb
- quasi-experimental adjective
- quasi-experimentally adverb
- semiexperimental adjective
- semiexperimentally adverb
- unexperimental adjective
- unexperimentally adverb
Etymology
Origin of experimental
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English word from Medieval Latin word experīmentālis. See experiment, -al 1
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.
Some listeners find continuity in Arirang's polished and experimental sound co-created by American producers and engineers, but others say this album is too highly produced, missing the raw passion of Dark & Wild.
From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026
Even advanced theoretical models can miss key details, making experimental verification essential for understanding molecular structures.
From Science Daily • Apr. 7, 2026
The festival, which took place March 27 and 28, featured over 40 short films, animation and experimental works.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026
But if Thompson’s noir tales are bound by the restraints of the era and genre, they are also liberated by them, and these books are surprisingly experimental.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026
He set about dissecting the merits and problems of “spermism” using experimental data from the biological world.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
