noun

1. the act of living through an event or events; personal involvement in or observation of events as they occur
2. anything observed or lived through an experience he'll never forget
3. 1. all that has happened in one's life to date not within his experience
   2. everything done or undergone by a group, people in general, etc.
4. the effect on a person of anything or everything that has happened to that person; individual reaction to events, feelings, etc.
5. 1. activity that includes training, observation of practice, and personal participation
   2. the period of such activity
   3. knowledge, skill, or practice resulting from this

Etymology: ME < OFr < L experientia, trial, proof, experiment < experiens, prp. of experiri, to try, test: see peril

transitive verb experienced -·enced, experiencing -·enc·ing