Word
experiment
Phoneticsex·per·i·ment
US/ɪkˈspɛɹəmənt/
UK/ɛkspˈɛɹɪmənt/
Definition
n. a scientific test done to find out how something works or if an idea is true.
n. a procedure carried out under controlled conditions to discover an unknown effect, test a hypothesis, or illustrate a known law.
Examples
“The students perform a chemistry experiment in class today.”
“Scientists are conducting a new experiment to see if the medicine works on humans.”
“The results of the social experiment suggest that people are more likely to help a stranger if they are not in a hurry.”
Examples
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.”
Usage
Commonly used with the verbs 'do', 'conduct', 'perform', or 'carry out'.
Pitfall
The scientist made an experiment.
The scientist did an experiment.
In English, you 'do', 'conduct', or 'carry out' an experiment; you do not 'make' one.
Confusables
Experience is the knowledge you gain from living through events, while an experiment is a controlled test to see if an idea is true.
RememberExperience = Life. Experiment = Lab.
Etymology
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.
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englishreference.com/q/experiment