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Definition of experiment

 (Entry 1 of 2)

Definition of experiment  (Entry 2 of 2)

intransitive verb

  • experimentation

Examples of experiment in a Sentence

Word history.

Middle English, "testing, proof, remedy," borrowed from Anglo-French esperiment, borrowed from Latin experīmentum "testing, experience, proof," from experīrī "to put to the test, attempt, have experience of, undergo" + -mentum -ment — more at experience entry 1

verbal derivative of experiment entry 1

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

1787, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing experiment

  • control experiment
  • controlled experiment
  • experiment station
  • pre - experiment
  • thought experiment

Articles Related to experiment

hypothesis

This is the Difference Between a...

This is the Difference Between a Hypothesis and a Theory

In scientific reasoning, they're two completely different things

Dictionary Entries Near experiment

experiential time

experimental

Cite this Entry

“Experiment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/experiment. Accessed 4 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of experiment.

Kids Definition of experiment  (Entry 2 of 2)

Medical Definition

Medical definition of experiment.

Medical Definition of experiment  (Entry 2 of 2)

More from Merriam-Webster on experiment

Nglish: Translation of experiment for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of experiment for Arabic Speakers

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Definition of 'experiment'

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experiment in British English

Experiment in american english, examples of 'experiment' in a sentence experiment, cobuild collocations experiment, trends of experiment.

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Browse alphabetically experiment

  • experientialism
  • experientialist
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Related terms of experiment

  • bold experiment
  • experiment uses
  • fun experiment
  • lab experiment
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experiment noun

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What does the noun experiment mean?

There are 13 meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun experiment , five of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

How common is the noun experiment ?

How is the noun experiment pronounced, british english, u.s. english, where does the noun experiment come from.

Earliest known use

Middle English

The earliest known use of the noun experiment is in the Middle English period (1150—1500).

OED's earliest evidence for experiment is from before 1382, in Bible (Wycliffite, early version) .

experiment is of multiple origins. Partly a borrowing from French . Partly a borrowing from Latin .

Etymons: French experiment ; Latin experīmentum .

Nearby entries

  • experiencing, adj. 1697–
  • experiency, n. 1556
  • experient, adj. & n. ?1440–
  • experiential, adj. 1658–
  • experientialism, n. 1865–
  • experientialist, n. 1866–
  • experientially, adv. 1647–
  • experiential philosopher, n. 1866–
  • experiential philosophy, n. 1848–
  • experiently, adv. 1473–1849
  • experiment, n. a1382–
  • experiment, v. 1481–
  • experimental, adj. & n. c1449–
  • experimental archaeology, n. 1961–
  • experimental farm, n. 1739–
  • experimentalism, n. 1808–
  • experimentalist, n. & adj. 1677–
  • experimentalize, v. 1751–
  • experimentalizer, n. 1831–
  • experimentalizing, n. 1809–1929
  • experimentally, adv. a1460–

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Meaning & use

Pronunciation, compounds & derived words, entry history for experiment, n..

experiment, n. was revised in March 2024.

experiment, n. was last modified in September 2024.

oed.com is a living text, updated every three months. Modifications may include:

  • further revisions to definitions, pronunciation, etymology, headwords, variant spellings, quotations, and dates;
  • new senses, phrases, and quotations.

Revisions and additions of this kind were last incorporated into experiment, n. in September 2024.

Earlier versions of this entry were published in:

OED First Edition (1894)

  • Find out more

OED Second Edition (1989)

  • View experiment, n. in OED Second Edition

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Citation details

Factsheet for experiment, n., browse entry.

Cambridge Dictionary

  • Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Meaning of experiment – Learner’s Dictionary

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  • scientific experiments
  • inhumane experiments on monkeys
  • The table below shows the results of the experiment.
  • Parallel experiments are being conducted in both countries .
  • There is a growing debate on medical experiments.

experiment verb [I] ( TRY SOMETHING )

Experiment verb [i] ( do tests ).

  • experimentation

(Definition of experiment from the Cambridge Learner's Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Translations of experiment

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experiment means what

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IMAGES

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COMMENTS

  1. Experiment Definition & Meaning

    The meaning of EXPERIMENT is test, trial. How to use experiment in a sentence.

  2. EXPERIMENT

    EXPERIMENT definition: 1. a test done in order to learn something or to discover if something works or is true: 2. to try…. Learn more.

  3. EXPERIMENT

    EXPERIMENT meaning: 1. a test done in order to learn something or to discover if something works or is true: 2. to try…. Learn more.

  4. Experiment Definition & Meaning

    EXPERIMENT meaning: 1 : a scientific test in which you perform a series of actions and carefully observe their effects in order to learn about something; 2 : something that is done as a test something that you do to see how well or how badly it works

  5. Experiment Definition in Science

    Experiment Definition in Science. By definition, an experiment is a procedure that tests a hypothesis. A hypothesis, in turn, is a prediction of cause and effect or the predicted outcome of changing one factor of a situation. Both the hypothesis and experiment are components of the scientific method. The steps of the scientific method are:

  6. EXPERIMENT definition and meaning

    Definition of 'experiment' COBUILD frequency band. experiment. ɪksp e rɪmənt (noun), ɪksp e rɪment (verb) Word forms: plural experiments, 3rd person singular present tense experiments, present participle experimenting, past tense, past participle experimented pronunciation note: The noun is pronounced (ɪksp e rɪmənt).

  7. Experiment

    If you see your science-loving neighbor headed home with a power cord, a handful of test tubes, a stopwatch, and a bag of potatoes, there's probably no need to be alarmed. There's a good chance he's only conducting an experiment, a scientific test conducted under controlled conditions.

  8. Experiment

    An experiment is a procedure carried out to support or refute a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy or likelihood of something previously untried. Experiments provide insight into cause-and-effect by demonstrating what outcome occurs when a particular factor is manipulated. Experiments vary greatly in goal and scale but always rely on repeatable procedure and logical analysis of the results.

  9. experiment, n. meanings, etymology and more

    What does the noun experiment mean? There are 13 meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun experiment, five of which are labelled obsolete. See 'Meaning & use' for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence. See meaning & use. How common is the noun experiment?

  10. Meaning of experiment

    EXPERIMENT definition: 1. a test, especially a scientific one, that you do in order to learn something or discover if…. Learn more.