A basic, representative example or specimen used to illustrate or test a concept, often drawn from a larger set. As a noun, it can refer to a small amount of material for testing, a typical instance of something, or a representative excerpt in research or analysis. It implies a tangible sample selected to show general characteristics.
"The scientist collected a blood sample for analysis."
"Please provide a sample of the fabric to check its color and texture."
"The vendor offered a free sample to entice customers."
"Her handwriting sample helped the instructor assess her skills."
Sample comes from the late Middle English sampel, from Old French essample, and ultimately from the Latin exemplum meaning a mark, model, or pattern to be copied. The root exempl- means ‘to show, to model’ and is related to the verb exemplify. Over time, the sense broadened from a literal model or pattern used in copying to a portion of material taken for testing or analysis, and then to a representative instance used for demonstration. The modern usage covers both tangible goods (a physical sample) and abstract instances (a sample of data, a musical sample). First known use in English traces to the 15th century, with early forms in law and medicine reflecting the idea of proof or model to guide action. The word evolved through borrowing and semantic shift, maintaining a core meaning centered on showing what is typical or representative.
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Words that rhyme with "Sample"
-me) sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce it as /ˈsæm.pəl/. The first syllable carries primary stress. The vowel is the short a as in cat, followed by an unstressed second syllable with the schwa sound /ə/ (pəl). Tip: keep the lips relaxed for the /ə/ and avoid over-articulating the final /l/. Audio references: [US: ˈsæmpəl], [UK: ˈsæmpəl], [AU: ˈsæmpəl].
Two frequent errors are elongating the first vowel or misplacing stress. Some speakers treat it as stress on the second syllable or mispronounce the final /l/ as a clear, full /l/ instead of a light, almost-silent tongue tip contact. Correct by emphasizing the first syllable with a crisp /æ/ and making the second syllable a quick, relaxed /əl/ with a soft or dark /l/ depending on your accent.
In US, UK, and AU, the primary stress remains on the first syllable /ˈsæm/. The vowel in the first syllable closely resembles /æ/; rhotic differences affect only surrounding vowels in connected speech. UK and AU speakers may have a slightly shorter /æ/ and a lighter /l/; some AU speakers may drop the /r/ influence entirely since rhoticity matters less in non-rhotic contexts. Overall, the core is /ˈsæmpəl/ across three accents.
The challenge lies in the quick transition from the stressed /æ/ to the schwa /ə/ in an unstressed second syllable and finishing with a light /l/. Many speak with a more open or closed mouth during /æ/ than needed, delaying the /ə/ and giving a clipped or over-articulated final /l/. Focusing on a rapid, relaxed second syllable and a subtle, almost silent /l/ helps keep the cadence natural.
A practical cue is to think of saying ‘sam’ quickly, then ‘pul’ with a faint /ə/ before the /l/. Visualize the mouth starting with a short, open front vowel for /æ/ and letting the jaw drop slightly for /ə/ in the second syllable. This keeps the rhythm intact and prevents the second syllable from becoming a full, stressed syllable or the final /l/ from sounding too strong.
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