What does experience mean?
Experience is one of the most widely used words in English, functioning both as a noun and a verb. As a noun it refers either to accumulated knowledge and skill gained through practice over time — as in work experience — or to particular events that a person lives through, especially ones that leave a lasting impression. As a verb it means to undergo or encounter something directly: one might experience joy, hardship, or a change of circumstances. The word carries broadly positive connotations of maturity, competence, and firsthand understanding; calling someone experienced suggests they can be trusted because they have done something before. It is equally at home in formal contexts such as résumés, academic writing, and journalism, and in casual conversation about memorable moments. Derived forms include the adjective experienced, its negative inexperienced, and the more formal experiential, relating to learning by doing.
Practical knowledge or skill gained through direct involvement in activities or exposure to events over time; also, an event or occurrence that someone lives through personally.
"Candidates with five years of experience will be given priority."
Uncountable when referring to accumulated skill; countable when referring to distinct events or episodes.
To encounter, undergo, or be affected by something directly.
"Many families experienced hardship during the economic downturn."
The plural refers to distinct events or episodes lived through, rather than accumulated skill, which remains uncountable.
"Travelling alone gave him experiences he still talks about today."
The word 'experience' comes from Latin 'experiri', meaning 'to try' — so every experience is literally an attempt at life.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of experience
Experience derives from the Latin verb experiri, meaning 'to try, test, or attempt', via the noun experientia, 'trial or knowledge gained by trial'. It entered English in the late Middle English period, initially carrying senses of both practical testing and personal observation. It shares this root with experiment and expert, all pointing back to the same Latin idea of trying something out to learn from it.
Related word forms
How experience is actually used
Neutral in register — used freely in formal writing, everyday speech, and job applications. When counting individual events, the plural 'experiences' is standard ('share your experiences'); when referring to accumulated skill or knowledge, it is usually uncountable ('she has experience in marketing').
Easily confused with experience
An experiment is a scientific test or trial conducted to discover something, while experience is the knowledge or events a person has lived through.