# sample

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈsɑːm.pəl/ · frequency rank #2,859

## Definitions
1. A part or snippet of something taken or presented for inspection, or shown as evidence of the quality of the whole; a specimen.
2. A subset or portion of a population that is systematically selected for measurement, observation, or questioning, with the objective of generating statistical information that accurately reflects the characteristics of the entire population.
3. A small quantity of food for tasting, typically given away for free.
4. A small piece of some goods, for determining quality, colour, etc., typically given away for free.
5. A borrowing of easily recognised phases (or moments) from other music (or movies) in a recording.
6. Example; pattern.

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

## Easily confused with
- **smile** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sample-vs-smile)
- **simple** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sample-vs-simple)
- **simply** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sample-vs-simply)
- **staple** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sample-vs-staple)
- **supple** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sample-vs-supple)
- **simpler** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sample-vs-simpler)
- **sampler** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sample-vs-sampler)
- **simplex** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sample-vs-simplex)
- **same** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/same-vs-sample)
- **sale** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sale-vs-sample)
- **salle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/salle-vs-sample)
- **sable** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sable-vs-sample)
- **saddle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/saddle-vs-sample)

## Common misspellings (9)
`asmple`, `samlpe`, `sammple`, `sampel`, `samplle`, `sampple`, `sapmle`, `smaple`, `ssample`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/sample