Meaning

noun an appraisal of the state of affairs

noun a substance that is undergoing an analysis of its components

noun a written report of the results of an analysis of the composition of some substance

originFrom Middle English assay (noun) and assayen (verb), from Anglo-Norman assai (noun) and Anglo-Norman assaier (verb), from Old French essai. Doublet of essay.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0