Examines

Examines is the third-person singular present tense of the verb examine. It denotes the act of inspecting or studying something in detail, assessing its nature or condition, or questioning someone to obtain information or evidence. The sense often implies thoroughness or methodical inquiry.

Etymology: examine derives from Latin exāmināre, from examen “a test or weighing,” via Old French examiner into Middle English. The base verb examine has regular English conjugation: examine, examines, examined, examining.

In usage, examines appears in a variety of contexts. In medicine, a clinician examines a patient to determine health status. In law, an examiner or judge may examine a witness or the presented evidence. In research, scientists examine data and samples to draw conclusions. The term can also mean to question someone for information, as in examining a suspect or interviewee. The object of examination is typically a person, a specimen, an argument, or a set of data.

Related forms include examiner (the person performing the examination), examinee (the person being examined), examination (the act or instance of examining), and examining (the present participle). Examine is typically transitive, taking a direct object, as in “The researchers examine the samples.” It is contrasted with related actions such as inspect, analyze, or study, and with contexts where the focus is on assessment rather than mere observation.