From Middle English experience, from Old French -, from Latin experientia, from experiens, present participle of experiri ("to try, put to the test, undertake, undergo"), from ex ("out") + peritus ("experienced, expert"), past participle of *periri; see expert and peril.

• (RP) IPA: /ɪkˈspɪə.ɹɪəns/
• (America) IPA: /ɪkˈspɪɹ.i.əns/

experience

1. The effect upon the judgment or feelings produced by any event, whether witnessed or participated in; personal and direct impressions as contrasted with description or fancies; personal acquaintance; actual enjoyment or suffering.

   It was an experience he would not soon forget.

   • March 20, 1684-5, John Sharp, Sermon preached at Whitehall

     Those that undertook the religion of our Savior upon his preaching, had no experience of it.

2. (countable) An activity one has performed.
3. (countable) A collection of events and/or activities from which an individual or group may gather knowledge, opinions, and skills.
   • 1659, T[itus] Livius [i.e., Livy], “(please specify the book number)”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Romane Historie […], London: […] W. Hunt, for George Sawbridge, […], →OCLC ↗:

     they knew soone by experience how slenderly guarded against danger, the majestie of Rulers is

   • 1689 (indicated as 1690), [John Locke], chapter 2, in An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. […], London: […] Eliz[abeth] Holt, for Thomas Basset, […], →OCLC ↗, book I, page 1 ↗:

     Whence has it all the materials of reason and knowledge? To this I answer in one word, from experience.

4. (uncountable) The knowledge thus gathered.
5. (obsolete, uncountable) Trial; a test or experiment.
   • 1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book V, Canto I”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC ↗, stanza 7:

     She caused him to make experience / Vpon wyld beasts, which she in woods did find, / With wrongfull powre oppressing others of their kind

• inexperience

• French: expérience
• German: Erlebnis, Erfahrung
• Italian: esperienza
• Portuguese: experiência
• Russian: о́пыт
• Spanish: experiencia, vivencia

• French: expérience
• German: Praxis, Erlebnis, Erfahrung
• Italian: esperienza
• Portuguese: experiência
• Russian: о́пыт
• Spanish: experiencia

• French: expérience
• German: Erlebnis, Erfahrung
• Italian: esperienza
• Portuguese: experiência
• Russian: о́пыт
• Spanish: experiencia

• French: expérience
• German: Erfahrung
• Italian: esperienza
• Portuguese: experiência
• Russian: о́пыт
• Spanish: experiencia

experience (experiences, present participle experiencing; simple past and past participle experienced)

1. (transitive) To observe certain events; undergo a certain feeling or process; or perform certain actions that may alter one or contribute to one's knowledge, opinions, or skills.

• undergo

• French: éprouver, vivre
• German: erfahren, erleben
• Italian: esperire
• Portuguese: experienciar, vivenciar
• Russian: испы́тывать
• Spanish: experimentar, vivir, experienciar