experiment

1 of 2

noun

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 2

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

Synonyms of experiment

Noun

• test

Examples of experiment in a Sentence

Noun

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

Across the experiments, the sensor network was consistently effective at producing distinct signal patterns and activating protective responses depending on the force applied. —New Atlas, 8 Feb. 2026

Now, for the first time, an experiment hints that an ape in captivity can have an imagination. —Adithi Ramakrishnan, Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2026

Verb

Nissan Motor, which last advertised during the Super Bowl in 2022, is also experimenting this year with parallel advertising. —Michael Wayland, CNBC, 7 Feb. 2026

Some cities have experimented with fare-free transit. —Jonathan Cohn, New York Daily News, 7 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

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

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