1
a
: relating to, situated at, or forming the base
b
: arising from the base of a stem
basal leaves
2
a
: of or relating to the foundation, base, or essence : fundamental
b
: of, relating to, or being essential for maintaining the fundamental vital activities of an organism : minimal
a basal diet
c
: used for teaching beginners
basal readers
basally
adverb
Examples of basal in a Sentence
many students lacked even a basal familiarity with the topic
Recent Examples on the Web
As the birds slowly perfected their tunes, the research team also measured dopamine levels in the birds’ basal ganglia, a brain region involved in learning motor skills.
—
Jenny Lehmann, Discover Magazine, 27 Mar. 2025
For instance, the basal heights of children in India differed by more than a standard deviation from those of children in Haiti.
—Manvir Singh, The New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2025
Yarrow may develop new basal leaves in fall and initiates growth in early spring.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 3 Oct. 2024
And then there’s the question of the chemical composition of the three different types of tears: the basal tears that lubricate the eye, the tears caused by eye irritation, and the heartfelt tears that spring from emotions.
—IEEE Spectrum, 25 July 2017
See All Example Sentences for basal
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Jenny Lehmann, Discover Magazine, 27 Mar. 2025
For instance, the basal heights of children in India differed by more than a standard deviation from those of children in Haiti.
—Manvir Singh, The New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2025
Yarrow may develop new basal leaves in fall and initiates growth in early spring.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 3 Oct. 2024
And then there’s the question of the chemical composition of the three different types of tears: the basal tears that lubricate the eye, the tears caused by eye irritation, and the heartfelt tears that spring from emotions.
—IEEE Spectrum, 25 July 2017
See All Example Sentences for basal
Cite this Entry
“Basal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/basal. Accessed 7 Apr. 2025.
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Medical Definition
1
: relating to, situated at, or forming the base
2
: of, relating to, or essential for maintaining the fundamental vital activities of an organism (as respiration, heartbeat, or excretion)
a basal diet
see basal metabolism
3
: serving as or serving to induce an initial comatose or unconscious state that forms a basis for further anesthetization
basal narcosis
a basal anesthetic
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