test

1 of 5

noun (1)

ˈtest 

1

a

: a means of testing: such as

(1)

: something (such as a series of questions or exercises) for measuring the skill, knowledge, intelligence, capacities, or aptitudes of an individual or group

(2)

: a procedure, reaction, or reagent used to identify or characterize a substance or constituent

b

: a positive result in such a test

2

a(1)

: a critical examination, observation, or evaluation : trial

specifically : the procedure of submitting a statement to such conditions or operations as will lead to its proof or disproof or to its acceptance or rejection

a test of a statistical hypothesis

(2)

: a basis for evaluation : criterion

b

: an ordeal or oath required as proof of conformity with a set of beliefs

c

chiefly British : cupel

3

: a result or value determined by testing

4

: test match

test

2 of 5

verb

tested; testing; tests

transitive verb

1

: to put to test or proof : try

—often used with out

2

: to require a doctrinal oath of

intransitive verb

1

a

: to undergo a test

b

: to be assigned a standing or evaluation on the basis of tests

tested positive for cocaine

the cake tested done

2

: to apply a test as a means of analysis or diagnosis

—used with for

test for mechanical aptitude

testability

ˌte-stə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

testable

ˈte-stə-bəl 

adjective

test

3 of 5

adjective

1

: of, relating to, or constituting a test

2

: subjected to, used for, or revealed by testing

a test group

test data

test

4 of 5

noun (2)

: an external hard or firm covering (such as a shell) of many invertebrates (such as a foraminifer or a mollusk)

Test

5 of 5

abbreviation

Testament

Phrases

test the waters or less commonly test the water

: to make a preliminary test or survey (as of reaction or interest) before embarking on a course of action

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• essay
• experiment
• experimentation
• trial

Verb

• sample
• try (out)

Examples of test in a Sentence

Noun (1)

will need to run some tests on the blood sample to rule out blood poisoning

applicants for the cashier's position must first take a simple math test

Verb

Weekly quizzes will test your understanding of the material.

The students will all be tested again at the end of the school year.

The school nurse will be testing students' hearing next week.

She tested positive for the disease.

The water gets tested regularly.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

His efforts to test and strengthen software code recovered hundreds of thousands of dollars stolen by hackers, tracked illicit funds to prevent money laundering from working effectively, and helped law enforcement reduce cybercrime. —Matt Emma, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025

The 33-year-old mom praised the staff for being proactive in testing the cyst, which was found to be benign. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025

Adjective

The average fifth-grade teacher in Montgomery County spends one out of five days in the school year dealing with test prep, testing and post-test data collection. —Nicole Asbury, Washington Post, 6 July 2022

Our testers evaluated and recorded their pre-test teeth color using the VITA Guide, brushed with the toothpastes as directed for several weeks, and then reevaluated teeth color. —Danielle Zoellner, Verywell Health, 31 Jan. 2023

Noun

It is called the ABC test because companies must meet three specific requirements: CEO: C-suite news, analysis, and advice for top decision makers right to your inbox. —Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 27 Apr. 2025

The average rating for these bread and butter pickle chips was almost an entire point higher than every other pickle in the test. —Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 27 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, vessel in which metals were assayed, potsherd, from Anglo-French test, tees pot, Latin testum earthen vessel; akin to Latin testa earthen pot, shell

Noun (2)

Latin testa shell

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2c

Verb

1748, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Adjective

1687, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1842, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing test

• acid test
• alpha test
• Ames test
• aptitude test
• Bechdel test
• Bechdel-Wallace test
• beta test
• blood test
• breath test
• crash test dummy
• Dick test
• DNA test
• Draize test
• drug test
• field-test
• flight-test
• high-test
• inkblot test
• intelligence test
• intradermal test
• laboratory test
• lab test
• litmus test
• Mantoux test
• means test
• Papanicolaou test
• patch test
• paternity test
• personality test
• placement test
• pregnancy test
• put (someone or something) to the test
• road test
• Rorschach inkblot test
• Rorschach test
• Schick test
• scratch test
• screen test
• skin test
• smear test
• spot test
• stand the test of time
• Stanford-Binet test
• stress test
• Student's t-test
• sub-test
• sweat test
• test ban
• test bed
• test case
• test-drive
• test-fly
• test-market
• test match
• test pattern
• test pilot
• test run
• test the water
• test the waters
• test tube
• test-tube baby
• thematic apperception test
• true-false test
• t-test
• tuberculin test
• Turing test
• Wassermann test
• word-association test
• z-test

Rhymes for test

• blessed
• blest
• breast
• chest
• crest
• dressed
• fest
• gest
• geste
• guessed
• jest
• lest

Kids Definition

test

1 of 3 noun

ˈtest 

1

: a means of finding out the nature, quality, or value of something

put the new car to the test

2

: a procedure or method for identifying something

a test for starch

allergy tests

3

: a set of questions or problems designed to find out a person's knowledge, skills, or intelligence

4

: a result of or rating based on a test

uses 80-pound test fishing line

test

2 of 3 verb

1

: to put to test or proof : try

test out your strength

2

a

: to take part in a test

actors testing for roles in the play

b

: to achieve or be assigned a rating on the basis of tests

the class tested high in math

3

: to use tests as a way to analyze or identify

test for copper

testable

ˈtes-tə-bəl

adjective

test

3 of 3 noun

: a firm or rigid covering (as a shell) of many invertebrates

Medical Definition

test

1 of 3 noun

ˈtest 

1

: a critical examination, observation, evaluation, or trial

specifically : the procedure of submitting a statement to such conditions or operations as will lead to its proof or disproof or to its acceptance or rejection

a test of a statistical hypothesis

2

: a means of testing: as

a(1)

: a procedure or reaction used to identify or characterize a substance or constituent

a test for starch using iodine

(2)

: a reagent used in such a test

b

: a diagnostic procedure for determining the presence or nature of a condition or disease or for revealing a change in function

c

: something (as a series of questions or exercises) for measuring the skill, knowledge, intelligence, capacities, or aptitudes of an individual or group

3

: a result or value determined by testing

test

2 of 3 transitive verb

: to subject to a test

intransitive verb

1

: to undergo a test

2

: to apply a test as a means of analysis or diagnosis

—used with for

test for the presence of starch

test

3 of 3 adjective

1

: of, relating to, or constituting a test

the test environment affected the scores

2

: subjected to, used for, or revealed by testing

test substances