experimentalist

American  

[ik-sper-uh-ment-uhl-ist] / ɪkˌspɛr əˈmɛnt əl ɪst /

noun

1. a person who enjoys experimenting or trying new things, especially in the arts.

2. a scientist whose research relies on experiments or who is skilled in designing and conducting them.

3. a person who subscribes to philosophical empiricism.

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adjective

1. fond of experimenting or trying new things, especially in the arts.

2. of or relating to a scientific or philosophical emphasis on experiment or experience rather than theory.

Example Sentences

Prominent among these were ballets by Ms. Tharp, the one-time experimentalist modern-dance maker whose creations for ABT made up the opening bill.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 3, 2025

Of course, many artists before her have dabbled in the avant-garde deconstruction of the songwriting craft — fellow experimentalist Juana Molina comes to mind.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 30, 2025

Sivak, a theorist, and Bechhoefer, an experimentalist, bring complementary approaches to their work, and they have been able to attract trainees who want to work with both.

From Science Daily • Jun. 6, 2024

This playlist is a chronological tour through Charli XCX’s many eras, from her time as a precocious club kid to her more recent reign as a forward-thinking pop experimentalist.

From New York Times • Jun. 4, 2024

Then, in February, a gifted young Brazilian experimentalist named Cesare M. G. Lattes arrived in Berkeley.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik