sample
Sample (noun) means a small portion of something given or shown to represent the whole. Example: “The tailor cut a sample of fabric so she could match the colour.”
How to use sample
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA small piece or amount of something used to represent, test, or judge the whole — or, in music, a reused snippet of another recording.
Word forms
sampled past tense, samples plural, Samples plural, samples singular
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The tailor cut a _____ of fabric so she could match the colour.
Etymology
From Old French essample ("example"), from Latin exemplum — sample and example are doublets, two words descended from the very same Latin source.
Related words
Rhymes for sample
See all rhymes for sample →Frequently asked questions
What does “sample” mean?
The word “sample” means a small portion of something given or shown to represent the whole. In plain terms, a small piece or amount of something used to represent, test, or judge the whole — or, in music, a reused snippet of another recording.
How do you pronounce “sample”?
“Sample” is pronounced SAHM-puhl (/ˈsæm.pəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “sample” in a sentence?
Here is “sample” used in a sentence: “The tailor cut a sample of fabric so she could match the colour.”
What is another word for “sample”?
Words with a similar meaning to “sample” include example and specimen.
What part of speech is “sample”?
Depending on how it is used, “sample” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “sample” come from?
The word “sample” comes from Latin. From Old French essample ("example"), from Latin exemplum — sample and example are doublets, two words descended from the very same Latin source.
Is “sample” a common word?
“Sample” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “sample” have?
“Sample” has 5 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a small portion of something given or shown to represent the whole.
What is the difference between a sample and an example?
A sample is a small piece taken from a larger whole to represent it — a sample of fabric, or a blood sample. An example is one instance used to illustrate a general point or type. A sample is literally part of the thing; an example simply demonstrates it. That distinction is why they are mixed up.
What is an example of a sample?
A tiny cup of ice cream handed out in a shop is a sample, meant to represent the full tub. So is a paint swatch, a perfume tester, or a blood sample drawn for testing. In research, a sample is the smaller group studied to draw conclusions about a whole population.
What are the types of samples?
The meaning shifts by field. In shopping and marketing, a sample is a free taster of a product. In science and statistics, it is a subset chosen to represent a larger population, such as a random or representative sample. In medicine, it is material like blood or tissue taken for testing. All stand in for a bigger whole.
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