experiment

1 of 3

noun (1)

ex·​per·​i·​ment ik-ˈsper-ə-mənt 

also

-ˈspir- 

1

a

: test, trial

… make another / experiment of his suspicion …

—William Shakespeare

b

: a tentative procedure or policy

The company is trying an experiment in staggered starting times.

c

: an operation or procedure carried out under controlled conditions in order to discover an unknown effect or law, to test or establish a hypothesis, or to illustrate a known law

2

obsolete : experience

3

: the process of testing : experimentation

experiment

2 of 3

verb

ex·​per·​i·​ment ik-ˈsper-ə-ˌment 

also -ˈspir

experimented; experimenting; experiments

intransitive verb

: to carry out experiments : try out a new procedure, idea, or activity

experimentation

ik-ˌsper-ə-mən-ˈtā-shən 

-ˌmen-

also -ˌspir-

noun

experimenter

ik-ˈsper-ə-ˌmen-tər 

also -ˈspir-

noun

experimentation

3 of 3

noun (2)

ex·​per·​i·​men·​ta·​tion

(ˌ)ek-, 

-ˌmen‧-

plural -s

1

: the act, process, or practice of making experiments

a tendency among lay critics to confine experimentation to scientists in the laboratory

—John Dewey

2

: an instance of experimentation : experiment

an outgrowth and culmination of numerous experimentations and inventions

—William Chomsky

Synonyms of experiment

Noun (1)

• test

Examples of experiment in a Sentence

Noun (1)

Students will carry out simple laboratory experiments.

They did some experiments with magnets.

These theories have not yet been confirmed by experiment.

an experiment in living more frugally

the city's experiment with a longer school year

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Madonna hunts pheasant in the English countryside, Thomas Edison electrocutes an elephant, Harry Harlow conducts callous experiments on monkeys, and Jimmy Carter fends off a swamp rabbit attack. —Literary Hub, 9 June 2026

This small-scale experiment — and the goal to scale it — comes as LAUSD embarks on an ambitious plan to broaden its early education footprint, an initiative unanimously approved by the school board in April. —Kate Sequeira, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026

Verb

While some consumers are experimenting with more decadent burger toppings such as truffle aioli, foie gras, goat cheese or caviar, the classics — cheese, lettuce, tomato, ketchup and onion — are still the most popular, as of a 2021 YouGov survey. —Teresa Mull, FOXNews.com, 9 June 2026

The robot is designed to provide a convenient user experience, allowing owners to begin experimenting immediately after powering it on. —Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 9 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

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

Verb

verbal derivative of experiment entry 1

First Known Use

Noun (1)

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

Verb

1667, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing experiment

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

Rhymes for experiment

• merriment

Kids Definition

experiment

1 of 2 noun

ex·​per·​i·​ment ik-ˈsper-ə-mənt 

: test entry 1 sense 1, trial entry 1 sense 1

especially : a procedure or operation carried out under controlled conditions in order to discover something, to test a hypothesis, or to serve as an example

experiment

2 of 2 verb

ex·​per·​i·​ment ik-ˈsper-ə-ˌment 

: to make experiments

experimentation

ik-ˌsper-ə-mən-ˈtā-shən 

-ˌmen-

noun

Medical Definition

experiment

1 of 2 noun

ex·​per·​i·​ment

ik-ˈsper-ə-mənt also -ˈspir-

1

: a procedure carried out under controlled conditions in order to discover an unknown effect or law, to test or establish a hypothesis, or to illustrate a known law

2

: the process of testing : experimentation

experiment

2 of 2 intransitive verb

ex·​per·​i·​ment -ˌment 

: to carry out experiments

experimentation

ik-ˌsper-ə-mən-ˈtā-shən, -ˌmen- also -ˌspir- 

noun

experimenter

-ˈsper-ə-ˌment-ər also -ˈspir- 

noun