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experiment - 10 dictionary results

ex⋅per⋅i⋅ment

  [n. ik-sper-uh-muhnt; v. ek-sper-uh-ment]
Use experiment in a Sentence
–noun
1. a test, trial, or tentative procedure; an act or operation for the purpose of discovering something unknown or of testing a principle, supposition, etc.: a chemical experiment; a teaching experiment; an experiment in living.
2. the conducting of such operations; experimentation: a product that is the result of long experiment.
3. Obsolete. experience.
–verb (used without object)
4. to try or test, esp. in order to discover or prove something: to experiment with a new procedure.
Origin:
1325–75; ME: proof < L experīmentum. See experience, -ment

Related forms:
ex⋅per⋅i⋅ment⋅er, ex⋅per⋅i⋅men⋅tor, ex⋅per⋅i⋅men⋅ta⋅tor, noun

Synonyms:
1. See trial. 2. research, investigation.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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ex·per·i·ment   (ĭk-spěr'ə-mənt)   
n.  
    1. A test under controlled conditions that is made to demonstrate a known truth, examine the validity of a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy of something previously untried.
    2. The process of conducting such a test; experimentation.
  2. An innovative act or procedure: "Democracy is only an experiment in government" (William Ralph Inge).
  3. The result of experimentation: "We are not [nature's] only experiment" (R. Buckminster Fuller).
intr.v.   (-měnt') ex·per·i·ment·ed, ex·per·i·ment·ing, ex·per·i·ments
  1. To conduct an experiment.
  2. To try something new, especially in order to gain experience: experiment with new methods of teaching.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin experīmentum, from experīrī, to try; see per-3 in Indo-European roots.]
ex·per'i·ment'er n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Experiment

Ex*per"i*ment\, n. [L. experimentum, fr. experiri to try: cf. OF. esperiment, experiment. See Experience.]

1. Atrial or special observation, made to confirm or disprove something doubtful; esp., one under conditions determined by the experimenter; an act or operation undertaken in order to discover some unknown principle or effect, or to test, establish, or illustrate some suggest or known truth; practical test; poof.

A political experiment can not be made in a laboratory, not determinant in a few hours. --J. Adams.

2. Experience. [Obs.]

Adam, by sad experiment I know How little weight my words with thee can find. --Milton.

Experiment

Ex*per"i*ment\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Experimented; p. pr. & vb. n. Experinenting.] To make experiment; to operate by test or trial; -- often with on, upon, or in, referring to the subject of an experiment; with, referring to the instrument; and by, referring to the means; as, to experiment upon electricity; he experimented in plowing with ponies, or by steam power.

Experiment

Ex*per"i*ment\, v. t. To try; to know, perceive, or prove, by trial experience. [Obs.] --Sir T. Herbert.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : experiment
Spanish: experimento,
German: der Versuch, das Experiment,
Japanese: 実験
More Translations »

experiment 
1348, from O.Fr. experiment, from L. experimentum "a trial, test," from experiri "to test, try" (see experience). The verb is 1481, from the noun.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Main Entry: 1ex·per·i·ment
Pronunciation: ik-'sper-&-m&nt also -'spir-
Function: noun
1 : a procedurecarried 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

Main Entry: 2ex·per·i·ment
Pronunciation: -"ment
Function: intransitive verb
: to carry out experiments —ex·per·i·men·ta·tion /ik-"sper-&-m&n-'tA-sh&n, -"men- also -"spir-/ noun —ex·per·i·ment·er /-'sper-&-"ment-&r also -'spir-/ noun
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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experiment ex·per·i·ment (ĭk-spěr'ə-mənt)
n.

  1. A test under controlled conditions that is made to demonstrate a known truth, to examine the validity of a hypothesis, or to determine the efficacy of something previously untried.
  2. The process of conducting such a test; experimentation.
  3. An innovative act or procedure.
  4. The result of experimentation.
v. ex·per·i·ment·ed, ex·per·i·ment·ing, ex·per·i·ments (-měnt')
  1. To conduct an experiment.
  2. To try something new, especially in order to gain experience.
ex·per'i·ment'er n.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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experiment   (ĭk-spěr'ə-mənt)  Pronunciation Key 
A test or procedure carried out under controlled conditions to determine the validity of a hypothesis or make a discovery. See Note at hypothesis.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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