What does "sampling" mean?

1. (testing a small part) the process of taking a small amount of something to see what the whole thing is like. 2. (statistics) choosing a small group of people or things to represent a much larger group. 3. (music) taking a piece of an old song and using it in a new piece of music. 4. (digital conversion) measuring a sound wave many times a second to turn it into a digital file.

How do you use "sampling"?

Often used as an uncountable noun when referring to the general process. Commonly used in phrases like 'random sampling' or 'representative sampling'. Often appears in the context of 'sampling rate'.

sampling

US //ˈsæmpɫɪŋ// UK //sˈɑːmplɪŋ// sam·pling

1 testing a small part (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

the process of taking a small amount of something to see what the whole thing is like.

the process or technique of obtaining a representative sample for analysis or testing.

Example

The water company does regular sampling of the lake to make sure it is safe for swimming.

Example

Environmental scientists conducted extensive sampling of the soil across the industrial site to determine the extent of the chemical contamination.

Usage

Often used as an uncountable noun when referring to the general process.
- testing
- selection
2 statistics (n.)
C1 Advanced Academic Technical Math

choosing a small group of people or things to represent a much larger group.

the selection of a subset of individuals from within a statistical population to estimate characteristics of the whole.

Example

The researchers used random sampling to pick people for the survey.

Example

To ensure the validity of the study, the team employed stratified sampling to account for the diverse demographics within the urban population.

Usage

Commonly used in phrases like 'random sampling' or 'representative sampling'.
- data collection
- polling

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3 music (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Music

taking a piece of an old song and using it in a new piece of music.

the electronic reuse of portions of previously recorded sound as a structural or decorative element in a new composition.

Example

Modern hip-hop often uses sampling to pay tribute to classic soul records.

Example

The producer's clever sampling of a 1970s jazz riff provided the rhythmic foundation for the entire electronic track.
- remixing
- splicing
4 digital conversion (n.)
C2 Proficiency Technical Computing

measuring a sound wave many times a second to turn it into a digital file.

the measurement of the amplitude of a varying waveform at regular intervals to convert it into digital form.

Example

A higher sampling rate usually means the digital audio will sound much clearer.

Example

The fidelity of the recording depends heavily on the sampling frequency used during the initial analog-to-digital conversion process.

Usage

Often appears in the context of 'sampling rate'.
- digitization