experiment
/ɪkˈspɛrɪm(ə)nt
/ /ɛkˈspɛrɪm(ə)nt/noun
1A scientific procedure undertaken to make a discovery, test a hypothesis, or demonstrate a known fact: a laboratory which carried out experiments on pigs [mass noun]: I have tested this by experiment...
- Carry out tests or experiments on these deductions in order not to prove them but to refute them.
- Interestingly enough, such individuals were also hostile to scientific experiments on animals as well.
- Scientists run experiments on physical evidence and draw conclusions based on their results.
Synonyms
test, investigation, trial, enquiry, demonstration;
examination, observation;
assessment, evaluation, appraisal, inspection, analysis, scrutiny, study, probe;
trial run, try-out, pilot study, dummy run, dry run
research, experimentation, observation, trial and error, analysis, testing
1.1A course of action tentatively adopted without being sure of the outcome: the previous experiment in liberal democracy had ended in disaster...
- Starting the blog was an experiment in trying a few different ways to address the limitations of our political process.
- He knew that our experiment in self-government could fail if he had a serious lapse of judgment.
- This page is an experiment in interactivity which, as a journalist, I've found extremely exciting.
verb /ɪkˈspɛrɪmɛnt / [no object]
/ [no object]1Perform a scientific procedure, especially in a laboratory, to determine something: experimenting on animals causes suffering...
- The primates being experimented on in laboratories share over 95 per cent of their DNA with you.
- Cloning humans while the technology is still new and unproven is akin to experimenting on babies.
- He then went on to say that since animals habitually injure each other we should not worry unduly about experimenting on them in a good cause.
Synonyms
conduct experiments, carry out trials/tests, conduct research;
test, trial, put to the test, do tests on, try out, carry out trials on, assess, appraise, evaluate;
investigate, examine, explore, observe, verify
1.1Try out new ideas or methods: the designers experimented with new ideas in lighting...
- We had also experimented with our running method today.
- Some regions of China, looking for creative ways to improve local governance, have already experimented with the idea.
- I also experimented with innovative methods of displaying my growing autograph collection.
Origin
Middle English: from Old French, or from Latin experimentum, from experiri 'try'. Compare with experience and expert.
This goes back to Latin experimentum, from experiri ‘to try’. Experience (Late Middle English) and expert (Middle English), someone who has tried and found out about something, go back to the same verb.