Tryout
/ˈtraɪ.aʊt/noun
A test or audition to determine whether someone is suitable for a team, role, or activity.
Did you know?The verb “try” entered English through Old French and originally meant to sort, sift, or test something carefully before accepting it.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
Germanic
*ūt
“Out, outside; a reconstructed ancestor related to English out.”
Old English
Old English
ūt
“Out, outward, away from the inside.”
14th Century
Middle English
trien
“To test, examine, or determine the quality of something; borrowed from Old French trier.”
15th Century
English
out
“Outside or away from an interior place; also used in verbal and phrasal constructions.”
19th Century
English
try-out
“A testing or trial performance; the compound begins appearing in American English usage.”
20th Century
English
tryout
“A test or audition, especially for membership on a sports team or participation in a performance.”