experiment
ihk-SPEHR-ih-muhnt
Experiment (noun) means a controlled test carried out to check a hypothesis or discover something new. Example: “The class conducted an experiment to see how plants grow in the dark.”
noun
1
A controlled test carried out to check a hypothesis or discover something new.
"The class conducted an experiment to see how plants grow in the dark."
"Scientists ran the experiment three times to confirm the results."
"The pupils wrote up their experiment on how salt affects the freezing of water."
verb
1
To try something out, often to test an idea or see what happens.
"She experimented with different recipes until she found the perfect one."
"He likes to experiment with spices whenever he cooks dinner for friends."
"Young musicians often experiment with new sounds before finding their own style."
How to use experiment
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA test to find something out, or the act of trying something new to see what happens.
Common pairings
conduct an experiment
experiment with
a failed experiment
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Word forms
- Plural
- experiments
- Third person singular
- experiments
- Past tense
- experimented
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The class conducted an _____ to see how plants grow in the dark.
Etymology
From Latin experimentum, "a trial, test," from experiri ("to try, test") — related to "experience" and "expert."
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for experiment
pediment
regiment
sediment
condiment
detriment
sentiment
merriment
compliment
embodiment
impediment
accompaniment
See all rhymes for experiment →
Frequently asked questions
What does “experiment” mean?
The word “experiment” means a controlled test carried out to check a hypothesis or discover something new. In plain terms, a test to find something out, or the act of trying something new to see what happens.
How do you pronounce “experiment”?
“Experiment” is pronounced ihk-SPEHR-ih-muhnt (/ɪkˈspɛɹ.ə.mənt/ in IPA).
How do you use “experiment” in a sentence?
Here is “experiment” used in a sentence: “The class conducted an experiment to see how plants grow in the dark.”
What part of speech is “experiment”?
Depending on how it is used, “experiment” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “experiment” come from?
The word “experiment” comes from Latin. From Latin experimentum, "a trial, test," from experiri ("to try, test") — related to "experience" and "expert.".
Is “experiment” a common word?
“Experiment” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “experiment” have?
“Experiment” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a controlled test carried out to check a hypothesis or discover something new.
What is the difference between an experiment and a trial?
An experiment is a controlled test carried out to check a hypothesis or discover something new, while a trial usually tests something that already exists to see how well it works, such as a product trial or a clinical trial. The words overlap in science, where a clinical trial is a kind of experiment involving treatments in people.
Do you say "experiment on" or "experiment with"?
"Experiment on" is used when someone or something is the subject of a test: "Scientists experimented on mice." "Experiment with" means to try something out to see what happens: "She experimented with new recipes." Using "on" for people can sound sinister, so choose the preposition carefully.
What is a controlled experiment?
A controlled experiment is a test in which conditions are kept the same for all groups except the single factor being studied, usually by comparing a test group with a control group. Keeping everything else constant lets researchers be more confident that the factor being tested caused any difference in the results.
What is the difference between an experiment and a test?
A test checks the quality, performance, or presence of something against an expected standard: "an eye test," "a spelling test." An experiment is carried out to check a hypothesis or discover something new, so the outcome is genuinely unknown in advance. All experiments involve testing, but not every test is an experiment.
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