examiné

Examiné is the past participle of the French verb examiner, meaning “examined” or “inspected.” It can also function as an adjective describing something that has undergone examination. The feminine form is examinée, and the plural forms are examinés (masculine) and examinées (feminine). The word derives from Latin examinare, meaning to test or weigh, via Old French.

In usage, examinÉ is most often found with the auxiliary avoir to form perfect tenses: j’ai examiné, tu as examiné, il a examiné. It can also appear in passive constructions with être: l’affaire a été examinée, les documents ont été examinés. As an adjective, it describes nouns that have been examined, for example: un rapport examiné, des pièces examinées. When used as an adjective, the participle agrees with the noun in gender and number: le document examiné, les documents examinés.

Its meaning can vary slightly by context: in medical or legal settings, it often simply indicates that an item or person has undergone a thorough review or testing. The term is common in official reports, audits, examinations, and scholarly writings.

Related forms include the present participle examinant (examining) and the noun examen for the noun “exam.” A potential point of confusion is l’examiné, a less common nominal form referring to the person who has been examined, contrasted with l’examinateur for the examiner.