An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

An act or operation for the purpose of discovering something unknown or of testing a principle, supposition. See:

→ Aspect experiment, → Carnal-Mlynek experiment, → Davisson-Germer experiment, → double-slit experiment, → Eratosthenes experiment, → Hafele-Keating experiment, → Hertz experiment, → Michelson-Morley experiment, → Millikan’s oil-drop experiment, → Pascal’s barrel experiment, → random experiment, → Stern-Gerlach experiment, → thought experiment, → toothed-wheel experiment, → Trouton-Noble experiment, → Young’s experiment.

Etymology (EN): From O.Fr. experiment, from L. experimentum “a trial, test,” from experiri “to test, try,” from → ex- “out of” + peritus “experienced, tested.”

Etymology (PE): Âzmâyeš, verbal noun of âzmudan, âzmây- “to try, experiment, test;” Mid.Pers. uzmudan, ôzmutan “to test, try, prove;” from O.Pers./Av. *uz-māy-, from uz-, → ex- + mā(y)- “to measure,” Proto-Ir. *maH- “to measure;” PIE *meH- “to measure;” cf. Skt. mati “measures,” matra “measure;” Gk. metra “lot, portion;” L. metri “to measure.”