pilot program
21
3.6
- noun
- /ˈpaɪlət ˈprɒɡræm/
- US
:
programa piloto
- The city started a pilot program to test new recycling methods before expanding them citywide.
- pilot program evaluation
- conduct a pilot program
- set up a pilot program
China is launching pilot programs and a number of provinces to price carbon.
- China is launching pilot programs and a number of provinces to price carbon.
- And so now they're doing a pilot program where they have placed five dogs this fall in courtrooms across Quebec.
- I think like we were like one of their pilot programs for Netflix.
Examples
-
Our pilot program in the North Seas is going well.
-
Currently, seven students are involved in the pilot program; five of the seven are taking postsecondary classes and working part-time.
Academic text (2012) -
Several important lessons have been learned from this pilot program that could benefit future programs of this type.
Academic text (2011) -
Successful development and implementation of the pilot program have been based on policies such as:
Academic text (1993) -
We will share the progress and results of this pilot program with Mercury readers in future issues.
Academic text (1992) -
Their efforts have included pilot programs in Massachusetts public schools and articles in education journals.
Academic text (1992) -
Over the past year, however, Philadelphia has implemented a series of pilot programs geared toward increasing participation.
Academic text (1999) -
Our university and a large suburban school district launched the pilot program restructuring teacher preparation in the fall of 1992.
Academic text (2008) -
Individual pilot site assessments provided a snapshot of the implementation and progress midway through the pilot program.
Academic text (2017) -
The agency has also distributed approximately 250 95-gallon carts to households in the pilot program for yard trimmings.
Academic text (1997)
Synonyms
13
3.2
A short test to see if something works well before real use
8
4.0
A small test of a new plan or system in a few places to see if it works
3
4.2
A trial of a new app or program by outside users before its release
Antonyms
1
5.2
A very large, complex plan to build things like a dam or rail line that needs much money and time
How Large
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun phrase is compositionally transparent: 'pilot' in the sense of a trial or test combined with 'program' (an organized set of activities) directly yields a small-scale test program. This modifier+noun pattern and the trial sense of 'pilot' are common cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
Pilot program comes from the idea of a pilot who checks the way ahead and a program which is a planned project, so together they create the image of a small project that is tried first. So, a pilot program is used to 'test' whether a larger project will work.