sample

A2 Topic:General Vocabulary

US /ˈsæm.pəl/ UK /ˈsɑːm.pəl/ See IPA manual

Freq #3368

Meanings

1

noun
A small part of something used to show what the whole is like.

The nurse took a sample of my blood for testing.
2

noun
A small group chosen from a larger one to be studied or measured.

They surveyed a sample of a thousand voters.
3

verb
To try a small amount of something to see what it is like.

Visitors could sample the cheeses before buying.
4

verb
To reuse a part of an existing recording in a new piece of music.

The producer sampled an old jazz track for the chorus.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 noun · a small group chosen from a... sampling

More example specimen

Word family

Forms sampledsamplessampling

Derived forms autosamplebiosampledownsampleeigensampleintersampleintrasamplekilosamplemacrosamplemegasamplemetasamplemicrosamplemultisample

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

blood sample
a small amount of blood collected for examination or testing

Noun + noun

Simplified etymology

Sample came into Middle English through French and ultimately shares its origin with example: Latin exemplum, “sample” or “imitation,” from eximere, “to take out.”

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English saumple, sample, from Old French essample (“example”), from Latin exemplum. Doublet of example and exemplum.

saumple Middle English essample Old French exemplum Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

General Vocabulary

External links

# sample

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈsæm.pəl/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈsɑːm.pəl/
**Frequency rank:** 3368

## Meanings
1. A small part of something used to show what the whole is like.
2. A small group chosen from a larger one to be studied or measured.
3. To try a small amount of something to see what it is like.
4. To reuse a part of an existing recording in a new piece of music.

## Examples
- The nurse took a sample of my blood for testing.
- They surveyed a sample of a thousand voters.
- Visitors could sample the cheeses before buying.
- The producer sampled an old jazz track for the chorus.

## Synonyms
- example
- specimen

## Derived Forms
- autosample
- biosample
- downsample
- eigensample
- intersample
- intrasample
- kilosample
- macrosample
- megasample
- metasample
- microsample
- multisample

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: saumple
- Root: essample
- Root: exemplum

## Etymology
Inherited from Middle English saumple, sample, from Old French essample (“example”), from Latin exemplum. Doublet of example and exemplum.

## AI Etymology
Sample is inherited from Middle English saumple, sample, from Old French essample (“example”), from Latin exemplum. Doublet of example and exemplum. Modern senses include a small part of something used to show what the whole is like. and a small group chosen from a larger one to be studied or measured.. The wider word family includes derivatives such as autosample, biosample, downsample, eigensample, intersample, and intrasample.

## Topics
- General Vocabulary

markdown