trial
/ˈtraɪ.əl/
noun
Origin
Anglo-Norman
trier — to sift, cull, or try
Overview
Meaning Now
- A formal examination of evidence before a judge, and typically before a jury, in order to decide guilt in a case of criminal or civil proceedings.
- A test of the performance, qualities, or suitability of someone or something.
- A cause of suffering or annoyance that tests one's patience or endurance.
Language path
Latin → Old French → Middle English → English
Earliest form
trial
Earliest period
14th century
Journey
The term is rooted in the metaphor of 'sifting' or 'sorting' truth from falsehood, similar to the action of using a sieve. This legal sense became prominent in the late Middle Ages as the judicial system in England evolved toward structured evidentiary hearings.
Evolution
- Late Latin
*triare
“to separate, sift”
Possibly derived from 'tres' (three) in the sense of separating items into three parts or sifting through a sieve.
- Old French
trier
“to select, pick out, or test”
- Middle English
trial
“the act of testing or examining”
Adoption of the French suffix '-al' to the verb base.
- 16th-17th Century
trial
“legal examination”
Consolidation of the term within the English common law tradition.
Connections
Word parts
tri-
root
to sift or test
-al
suffix
forms a noun of action or process
Related across languages
French
trier
to sort
Italian
triare
to separate or select
Explore next
Related to trial
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.