Origin: Latin suffix -al
Experimental has 5 different meanings across 1 category:
The subject of an experiment.
"The mice were treated as experimental subjects in the new drug trial."
In plain English: An experimental person is someone who tries new things and takes risks to see what happens.
"The researcher added an experimental to the lab's record after the test yielded unexpected results."
Usage: Do not use "experimental" as a noun to refer to a person or object being tested; instead, use the noun "subject." The word "experimental" functions only as an adjective describing something related to experiments.
relying on observation or experiment
"experimental results that supported the hypothesis"
Pertaining to or founded on experiment.
"The scientist decided to try an experimental approach by testing the new catalyst in a controlled laboratory setting before scaling up production."
In plain English: Experimental means trying something new to see if it works before deciding whether to keep using it.
"The new cooking show features an experimental recipe that uses unusual ingredients."
Usage: Use experimental to describe something that is based on scientific testing or trials rather than established methods. Do not use it simply to mean unusual or different, as that is the role of the word eccentric.
The word experimental comes from combining the noun experiment with the suffix -al to form an adjective describing something done as a test or trial. It entered English directly from Latin through French without changing its core meaning of relating to experimentation.