ENGLISH
REFERENCE

experiment

n. countable
A2 Elementary Oxford US //ɪkˈspɛɹəmənt// UK //ɛkspˈɛɹɪmənt// ex·per·i·ment Archaic General-service

n. a test that you do to learn something or to see if an idea is true. You use this to find out what happens under certain conditions.

n. a scientific procedure undertaken to make a discovery, test a hypothesis, or demonstrate a known fact. Often used with the verbs 'conduct', 'perform', or 'carry out'.


SIMPLE

The students perform a chemistry experiment in class today.

CONTEXTUAL

Scientists are conducting a new experiment to see if the medicine works on humans.

COMPLEX

The results of the social experiment suggest that people are more likely to help a stranger if they are not in a hurry.

Synonyms
Origin

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-.

Usage

Commonly takes the prepositions 'on' or 'with' when describing the subject of the test.

Pitfall

make an experimentdo/conduct an experimentLearners often use the verb 'make' due to native language interference, but 'do', 'conduct', or 'carry out' are the correct collocations.

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