Word
sampler
Phoneticssam·pler, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈsæmpɫɝ/
UK/sˈɑːmplɐ/
Definitions
01a variety of items
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a collection of different things to try, such as a box of various chocolates or a plate with small portions of different foods.
n. a representative selection or assortment of items intended to provide a broad experience of a larger collection.
“We ordered the dessert sampler so we could try four different cakes.”
“The publisher released a digital sampler containing the first chapters of their upcoming autumn titles to generate early interest among reviewers.”
Synonyms
02electronic music device
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Music Technical
n. an electronic machine or software that records short pieces of sound and plays them back as music.
n. an electronic musical instrument or software application that records, processes, and plays back digital audio samples.
“The producer used a sampler to turn a bird's song into a drum beat.”
“Modern hip-hop production relies heavily on the sampler to repurpose vintage soul recordings into contemporary rhythmic foundations.”
03needlework art
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Literary
n. a piece of cloth decorated with many different types of stitches and patterns to show a person's sewing skills.
n. a piece of embroidery produced as a demonstration or test of skill in needlework, often featuring alphabets, motifs, and borders.
“My great-grandmother made this beautiful silk sampler when she was a young girl.”
“The museum's textile collection includes a rare eighteenth-century sampler featuring intricate floral patterns and moral verses stitched in fine silk thread.”
Synonyms
04a tool for testing
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Science Technical
n. a tool or machine used to take a small amount of something, like water or soil, to test it in a lab.
n. a mechanical or electronic device designed to extract a representative portion of a substance for analysis.
“The scientists lowered a water sampler into the deep lake to check for pollution.”
“The automated soil sampler was programmed to collect specimens at three-meter intervals across the agricultural test site.”
Real-World Examples
“Once on the surface, it will deploy a robotic arm and two samplers to grab some moon dust.” “One core sampler will collect material from depths of up to 2 cm.” Etymology
From Old French essamplaire, from Latin exemplāris. Doublet of exemplar.
From sample + -er.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
Idioms
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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