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I occasionally find some occurrences of experimented as adjective, such as experimented user, experimented soldier, etc., but they are relatively rare.

Is is accepted usage to consider both words as synonyms in this case, or should I avoid experimented and prefer experienced instead?

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  • There are some instances of 'experimented scientist (seems the most likely pairing!) on the internet, ranging from Alison Brognaux (bioengineer and PhD in biological engineering, I have acquired a strong background in life sciences and skills in the field of bioprocesses and biotechnology, more particularly cell culture in bioreactors for enzymes and recombinant proteins production (industrial microbiology). I am currently working as an experimented scientist on research projects and ...
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Commented Sep 7, 2015 at 18:20
  • collaborating in international multidisciplinary research teams with industrial partners.) to Dr Funzo of HIPPOJOY. But as there are fewer than 200 Google hits all told, I'd avoid this usage. It might well catch on (compare a 'published lecturer').
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Commented Sep 7, 2015 at 18:21
  • Dr. Funzo claims to be an "experimented scientist and astrologist." But you can't be both. Also, for some reason, Dr. Funzo scares the hell out of me.
    – deadrat
    Commented Sep 7, 2015 at 18:35
  • Like the experimented sailors in the philadelphia experiment?
    – Blessed Geek
    Commented Sep 7, 2015 at 19:31

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The OED records the uses of "experimented" to mean an experienced person or an experienced event. The former is marked "rare" and the latter is marked "obsolete." A brief look online finds a letter to the medical journal The Lancet from 1836 talking about an "experimented person," meaning someone who underwent an experiment in a hyperbaric chamber. Today we would say a "person experimented-upon." The other online references appear to be mostly from non-native speakers.

Bottom line: Don't use "experimented" to mean experienced.

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  • Which OED? The modern usages seem to be from say the eighties.
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Commented Sep 7, 2015 at 18:25
  • @EdwinAshworth Paper, which predates the eighties. Which modern usages?
    – deadrat
    Commented Sep 7, 2015 at 18:27
  • Have a look at the two examples I've given, and others appearing in an "experimented scientist" Google search. Perhaps some academic bodies don't like the connotations of 'experimental scientist', cf 'practising doctor'.
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Commented Sep 7, 2015 at 18:31
  • @EdwinAshworth Sorry, I should have looked for your comments on the question. Looks like false drops or non-native speakers. And Dr. Funzo, of course.
    – deadrat
    Commented Sep 7, 2015 at 18:41
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It would be useful to see the usage of experimented you're referring, however I'd not suggest to use experimented as a synonym of experienced.

  • An experimented soldier suggests the idea of a soldier on whom some form of experiment was made.

  • An experienced soldier is a soldier who has a large experience of their activity. ( war/guns training etc.)

    See the following extract for the difference in usage:

Experience vs experiment:

'experience'

  • If you have experience of something, you have seen it, done it, or felt it.

    • Do you have any teaching experience?
    • I've had no experience of running a business.
    • An experience is something that happens to you or something that you do.
    • Moving house can be a stressful experience.
    • You say that someone has an experience.
    • I had a strange experience last night.

    Be Careful!

    • Don't say that someone 'makes an experience'.

'experiment':

  • Don't use 'experience' to refer to a scientific test that is carried out in order to discover or prove something. Use experiment. Laboratory experiments show that Vitamin D may slow cancer growth.

    • Try it out in an experiment.
    • You usually say that someone does, conducts, or carries out an experiment.
    • We decided to do an experiment. -Several experiments were conducted at the University of Zurich.

Be Careful!

  • Don't say that someone 'makes an experiment'.

Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins

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