experimental
Americanadjective
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pertaining to, derived from, or founded on experiment.
an experimental science.
-
of the nature of an experiment; tentative.
The new program is still in an experimental stage.
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functioning as an experiment or used for experimentation.
an experimental airplane.
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based on or derived from experience; empirical.
experimental knowledge.
noun
adjective
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relating to, based on, or having the nature of experiment
an experimental study
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based on or derived from experience; empirical
experimental evidence
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tending to experiment
an experimental artist
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tentative or provisional
an experimental rule in football
Other Word Forms
- experimentally adverb
- nonexperimental adjective
- nonexperimentally adverb
- postexperimental adjective
- preexperimental adjective
- pseudoexperimental adjective
- pseudoexperimentally adverb
- quasi-experimental adjective
- quasi-experimentally adverb
- semiexperimental adjective
- semiexperimentally adverb
- unexperimental adjective
- unexperimentally adverb
Etymology
Origin of experimental
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English word from Medieval Latin word experīmentālis. See experiment, -al 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Gray serves notably less experimental cuisine than in his Ko days.
Visionaries had founded experimental communities supporting radical ideas like equal rights for women or the abolition of slavery.
From Literature
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In a new mouse study, they developed an experimental universal vaccine that shields against a broad range of respiratory viruses, bacteria, and even allergens.
From Science Daily
Working with experimental collaborators in Italy, Linder co authored a study published in Physical Review Letters.
From Science Daily
In testing, adjustments to slurry mixing and drying steps reduced the internal ionic resistance of experimental electrodes by as much as 40% -- a major barrier to fast charging.
From Science Daily
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.