experimental
Americanadjective
-
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.
-
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
Explanation
The adjective experimental is good for describing things that are still in a trial stage. An experimental drug is usually tested in a lab for years before being used on patients. Something that's experimental is at an early stage, being observed, tested out, and subjected to experiments as it's being developed. An experimental space craft might be launched and watched from afar as scientists decide what changes to make before it can be used for human space exploration. Experimental medicines are sometimes tested on animals before they're given to people. The 15th century meaning was "having experience," from the Latin root experimentum, "test or trial."
Vocabulary lists containing experimental
Awkward
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Content Summary 5.1: Causes of the Atlantic Revolutions
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for July 3–July 9, 2021
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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.
He too spent years getting Botox injections, and even traveled to Japan for an experimental surgery to have a metal rod inserted between his vocal cords.
From Slate • Apr. 18, 2026
Instead, they got the experimental “All Shook Up,” which has aged well despite the critical drubbing it received at the time.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026
However, other experts say differences in the way each drug works are important and it's unfair to group older experimental drugs with newer ones proven to work.
From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026
Scientists have reported a major experimental advance in understanding how some of the rarest elements in the universe are formed.
From Science Daily • Apr. 14, 2026
These five factors help explain the limited success of experimental science in a medieval context.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
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.
