What does experimentally mean?
"Experimentally" is an adverb describing action carried out by way of experiment or trial. Its dominant use is in science and medicine, where it signals that something was tested under controlled conditions rather than merely observed, assumed, or theorized: a result may be experimentally verified, a compound experimentally induced, or a value experimentally determined. A second, broader sense applies to everyday innovation — a restaurant might experimentally introduce a new menu item to gauge customer response before committing to it. The word is neutral in tone but leans formal, appearing most naturally in technical, academic, and journalistic prose. It derives from "experiment," which traces back through Latin experiri, "to try or test." Understanding the word matters because it marks the crucial difference between knowledge gained through rigorous testing and knowledge gained by other means — a distinction at the heart of how modern science establishes what is true.
adverbIn a manner that involves trial, testing, or experimentation; done as an experiment or in order to test a hypothesis or observe results.
- By means of an experiment or controlled test; in a way that tests a hypothesis.
- On a trial or provisional basis; tentatively, in order to see if something works.
"The drug was experimentally tested on volunteers before receiving regulatory approval."
"Researchers experimentally confirmed the prediction made by the theoretical model."
"The café began experimentally offering breakfast service on weekends."
Every medicine you've ever taken was first given to someone 'experimentally' — the adverb quietly underpins the entire scientific method.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of experimentally
"Experimentally" derives from "experiment," which entered English via Old French from the Latin verb experiri, meaning "to try, test, or put to the proof." The adjective "experimental" formed from it in English, likely during the early modern period as empirical science developed, and the adverb followed as a regular derivation. Related words sharing the same Latin root include "experience" and "empirical" through associated lines of development.
Related word forms
How experimentally is actually used
The word is largely neutral to formal in register and appears most often in scientific, medical, and technical writing. It carries no strong positive or negative connotation, though describing a treatment as given 'experimentally' can imply it is unproven or not yet standard practice.
Easily confused with experimentally
Empirically means relying on observation or real-world evidence generally, while experimentally specifically means by means of controlled trials or experiments.