trial.
An occasion on which a person or thing is tested to find out how well they perform or how suitable they are.
Meaning & usage
An occasion on which a person or thing is tested to find out how well they perform or how suitable they are.
An occasion on which a person or thing is tested to find out how well they perform or how suitable they are. The testing of a product or procedure.
They will perform the trials for the new equipment next week.
An occasion on which a person or thing is tested to find out how well they perform or how suitable they are. A research study to test the effectiveness and safety of a drug, medical procedure, etc.
A randomized, controlled trial (RCT).
An occasion on which a person or thing is tested to find out how well they perform or how suitable they are. An event in which athletes’ or animals’ abilities are tested as they compete for a place on a team, or to move on to the next level of a championship, for example.
soccer trials; sheepdog trials
An occasion on which a person or thing is tested to find out how well they perform or how suitable they are. A piece of ware used to test the heat of a kiln.
An occasion on which a person or thing is tested to find out how well they perform or how suitable they are. An internal examination set by Eton College.
An occasion on which a person or thing is tested to find out how well they perform or how suitable they are. An occasion on which armies or individuals meet in combat.
A meeting or series of meetings in a court of law at which evidence is presented to a judge (and sometimes a jury) to allow them to decide on a legal matter (especially whether an accused person is guilty of a crime).
If you are convicted at trial, you have the right to file an appeal.
He was charged with war crimes and brought to trial before the International Tribunal.
A difficult or annoying experience or person; (especially religion) such an experience seen as a test of faith and piety.
That boy was a trial to his parents.
The action of trying (to do) something, especially more than once. (This sense is still current in the expression trial and error.)
Where this word comes from
Etymology tree Old French trier Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- Proto-Indo-European *-is Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālisbor. Old French -al Anglo-Norman trialubor. Middle English trial English trial From Middle English trial, triall, from Anglo-Norman trial, triel, from trier (“to pick out, cull”) + -al. More at English try.
Pertaining to a trial or test.
Attempted on a provisional or experimental basis.
Where this word comes from
Etymology tree Old French trier Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- Proto-Indo-European *-is Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālisbor. Old French -al Anglo-Norman trialubor. Middle English trial English trial From Middle English trial, triall, from Anglo-Norman trial, triel, from trier (“to pick out, cull”) + -al. More at English try.
To carry out a series of tests on (a new product, procedure etc.) before marketing or implementing it.
The warning system was extensively trialed before being fitted to all our vehicles.
To try out (a new player) in a sports team.
The team trialled a new young goalkeeper in Saturday's match, with mixed results.
Where this word comes from
Etymology tree Old French trier Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- Proto-Indo-European *-is Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālisbor. Old French -al Anglo-Norman trialubor. Middle English trial English trial From Middle English trial, triall, from Anglo-Norman trial, triel, from trier (“to pick out, cull”) + -al. More at English try.
Characterized by having three (usually equivalent) components.
Triple.
Pertaining to a language form referring to three of something, like people. (See Ambai language for an example.)
No language has a trial number unless it has a dual.
Where this word comes from
From Latin tri- (stem of trēs (“three”)) + -al, on the pattern of dual.
The trial number.
Where this word comes from
From Latin tri- (stem of trēs (“three”)) + -al, on the pattern of dual.
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Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.
Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.