experimental
Americanadjective
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pertaining to, derived from, or founded on experiment.
an experimental science.
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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
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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
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experimentallyadverb
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nonexperimentaladjective
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nonexperimentallyadverb
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postexperimentaladjective
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preexperimentaladjective
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pseudoexperimentaladjective
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pseudoexperimentallyadverb
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quasi-experimentaladjective
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quasi-experimentallyadverb
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semiexperimentaladjective
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semiexperimentallyadverb
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unexperimentaladjective
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unexperimentallyadverb
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.
Experimental drugs are showing promise after years of little innovation.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026
Duffy and Yue Li, an associate professor of economics at the State University of New York at Albany, co-authored a new study, “Early Social Security Claiming and Slow Asset Decumulation: Experimental Evidence.“
From MarketWatch • Apr. 16, 2026
Experimental musician Look Mum No Computer, who will represent the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest, says he's surprised the BBC chose his "completely wacky" song as this year's entry.
From BBC • Mar. 6, 2026
“Precipice,” given its world premiere on Thursday at the La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club, is billed as an object-theater/chamber opera.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 12, 2026
We entered the Experimental Chambers to find the wretched Family of Smiths with their Laundry hung over their Sticks of Furniture.
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson
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.
