experiment
- 01 A2 Elementary
a scientific test done to find out how something works or if an idea is true.
a procedure carried out under controlled conditions to discover an unknown effect, test a hypothesis, or illustrate a known law.
Simple“In science class, we did an experiment to see how plants grow in the dark.”
In context“The researchers conducted a double-blind experiment to determine whether the new medication was more effective than the existing treatment.”
UsageCommonly used with the verbs 'do', 'conduct', 'perform', or 'carry out'.
PitfallThe scientist made an experiment. The scientist did an experiment.In English, you 'do', 'conduct', or 'carry out' an experiment; you do not 'make' one.
Synonyms
experiment vs experience — Experience is the knowledge you gain from living through events, while an experiment is a controlled test to see if an idea is true.
Usage experiment with different · experiment involving · experiment the researchers
From Middle English experiment, from Old French esperiment (French expérience), from Latin experimentum (“experience, attempt, experiment”), from experior (“to experience, to attempt”), itself from ex + perior, in turn from Proto-Indo-European per-.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.