Middle English emperiqe "physician in ancient Greece and Rome who held that treatment should be based on observation rather than theory," borrowed from Latin empīricus, empēricus, borrowed from Greek empeirikós, derivative of empeirikós, adjective, "based on observation (of medical treatment), experienced," from empeiría "experience, practice" (derivative of émpeiros "experienced, practiced," from em-en- entry 2 + -peiros, derivative of peîra "attempt, trial, test") + -ikos-ic entry 1; peîra going back to *per-i̯a, derivative of a verbal base *per- perhaps going back to Indo-European *per- "cross, pass" — more at fare entry 1