basement

noun

base·​ment ˈbās-mənt 

1

: the part of a building that is wholly or partly below ground level

2

: the ground floor facade or interior in Renaissance architecture

3

: the lowest or fundamental part of something

specifically : the rocks underlying stratified rocks

4

chiefly New England : a toilet or washroom especially in a school

5

a

: a low state, rank, or condition

With their stock in the basement and red ink all over their balance sheet, many struggling [companies] are finding that fund-raising has become an exceedingly difficult proposition.

—Brad Stone

b

: the lowest place in the standings : cellar sense 2

Last year, the Phillies finished in the basement of the NL East with 68 wins, tied with the Cubs for the fewest wins in the league.

—Boston Herald

basementless

ˈbās-mənt-ləs 

adjective

Synonyms

• cellar

Examples of basement in a Sentence

we store our bicycles in the basement during the winter

the basement of the outdoor fountain needs a lot of restoration work

Recent Examples on the Web

Per the incident report, Levin’s family members were right upstairs while he was being beaten and choked in the basement. —Samira Asma-Sadeque, People.com, 8 Feb. 2025

Some have been led to violence like the man who shot up a pizza parlor in Washington DC looking for victims of child trafficking in the basement. —Rochelle Eastman, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025

Hard to see who will be able to resist this new feature from Come Play helmer Chase, told from the POV of a loyal terrier devoted to his new owner, Cameron (Quan) who discovers a captive girl (Reinhart) locked away in the basement, becoming her only hope for survival. —Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Feb. 2025

As detectives were executing the search warrant at the residence, Huertas was reportedly located while hiding in the basement, according to state police. —Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 5 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

base entry 1 or base entry 2 + -ment, probably after Italian basamento

First Known Use

1730, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing basement

• bargain basement
• basement membrane
• finished basement/attic
• sub-basement

Kids Definition

basement

noun

base·​ment ˈbās-mənt 

: the part of a building that is entirely or partly below ground level