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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nonexperimentaladjective
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postexperimentaladjective
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preexperimentaladjective
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pseudoexperimentaladjective
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quasi-experimentaladjective
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semiexperimentaladjective
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unexperimentaladjective
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experimentallyadverb
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nonexperimentallyadverb
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pseudoexperimentallyadverb
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quasi-experimentallyadverb
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semiexperimentallyadverb
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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
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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.
In a new study involving older rats, researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of USC found that an experimental drug called cinaciguat reversed important signs of aging in specialized liver cells.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 3, 2026
Although the program was eventually discontinued for strategic reasons, the experimental medication had already progressed through a Phase 1 clinical trial, where it was successfully evaluated for safety in humans.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 1, 2026
"Luckily, there's an experimental drug sitting on the shelf that's already been shown to be safe in humans," said Saltiel.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 1, 2026
Scientists at the University of Virginia Comprehensive Cancer Center have developed a promising experimental strategy for treating glioblastoma, the most common and aggressive malignant brain tumor in adults.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 1, 2026
Printing made facts, as we saw in Chapter 7; and it begins to look for a moment as if it may also have made the new experimental philosophy.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
