sample
n. countablen. a small part of something that shows you what the whole thing is like. You might try a sample of food to see if you like it or look at a sample of fabric before buying a sofa.
n. a representative part or a single item from a larger group or population, intended to demonstrate the quality or character of the whole.
The baker gave me a free sample of the new bread.
Researchers collected a blood sample from each participant to test for the presence of the antibody.
The marketing team distributed a small sample of the fragrance to potential customers to gauge public interest before the official product launch next month.
Inherited from Middle English saumple, sample, from Old French essample (“example”), from Latin exemplum. Doublet of example and exemplum.
Often followed by the preposition 'of' to indicate the source or material being tested.