tryout
UK: ˈtraɪaʊt | US: ˈtraɪaʊt
n. a test or trial to evaluate someone's suitability for a role or activity
n. an experimental performance or audition
The word "tryout" emerged in early 20th-century American English, combining "try" (from Old French "trier," meaning "to sift/test") with "out" (Old English "ūt," indicating completion or result). It originally referred to sports team selection trials, where candidates were "tried out" to assess their skills. The compound preserves the literal sense of testing something to its conclusion.
She attended a tryout for the school basketball team.
The theater group held open tryouts for their new play.
This product is still in the tryout phase before mass production.
He failed the tryout but plans to practice and reapply next year.
The software company uses tryouts to evaluate potential interns.