1
a
: of, relating to, or forming the base or essence : fundamental
basic truths
b
: concerned with fundamental scientific principles : not applied
basic research
2
: constituting or serving as the basis or starting point
a basic set of tools
3
a
: of, relating to, containing, or having the character of a chemical base
b
: having an alkaline reaction
4
: containing relatively little silica
basic rocks
5
: relating to, made by, used in, or being a process of making steel done in a furnace lined with basic material and under basic slag
1
: something that is basic : fundamental
get back to basics
2
computers
: a simplified high-level language for programming a computer
The program was written in BASIC.
Synonyms
Examples of basic in a Sentence
Adjective
In this class, you will learn the basic principles of chemistry.
At its most basic level, the book is about a father's relationship with his children.
The basic difference between the two companies is their size.
rights that are basic to all human beings
basic reading, writing, and mathematics
She lacks even the most basic skills necessary for the job.
That's just the basic salary without overtime or tips.
The motel is comfortable but pretty basic: you get the necessities all right, but no luxuries.
Noun (1)
He's teaching me the basics of Japanese cooking.
He starts basic in two months.
Noun (2)
The program is written in BASIC.
Recent Examples on the Web
Ural Garrett, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Apr. 2024
There is a voter initiative that will be voted on this November by the voters of Solano County that will put in place high-level zoning, high-level building standards, so things like densities and heights and kind of basic uses, what's allowed to go where.
—Dana Taylor, USA TODAY, 27 Apr. 2024
Senior center offers mahjong class A free four-week class introducing the beginner to the basic rules and simple strategies of American-style mahjong is from 10 to 11:30 a.m.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Apr. 2024
Our Legislature needs mandatory lessons in basic math, accounting practices and contract negotiations.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 26 Apr. 2024
SmartAsset used Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Living Wage Calculator to determine the basic cost of living for an adult with no children as well as for two working adults with two children.
—Brianna Taylor, Sacramento Bee, 25 Apr. 2024
And his ability to do things that help your defense be at an elite level that are not obvious, that are not just the basic shot-blocking or protecting the rim.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2024
The biggest thing on basic cable was CNN, feasting on Desert Storm coverage.
—Jeffrey Marks, Rolling Stone, 24 Apr. 2024
The company was founded in 1941 as Krueger Metal Products to make basic folding chairs from scrap metal, about as modest a start as a company with global reach could have.
—Journal Sentinel, 24 Apr. 2024
Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 13 Apr. 2024
The drone offers three difficulty levels: Level one helps kiddos learn flying basics, level two activates both joysticks but maintains the self-leveling feature, and level three gives users the freedom and tools to do flips and fly at faster speeds.
—Maya Polton, Parents, 12 Apr. 2024
The very basics of many gynecological and obstetrical pathologies are still poorly understood.
—Catherine M. Klapperich, STAT, 12 Apr. 2024
Emergency Survival Cards $14.95 Instead of having to remember the key steps to take in every emergency, these emergency survival cards give you the basics for a variety of different natural disasters.
—Christopher Murray, Fox News, 11 Apr. 2024
Here are the basics: Q: Why are Yosemite officials doing this?
—Paul Rogers, The Mercury News, 9 Apr. 2024
In-person classes on the basics of starting a pollinator garden and selecting plants will be held at 11 a.m. May 9 and 10.
—Journal Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2024
He was focused on giving ESPN viewers the basics, and tended not to favor programing that tried to move outside the lines.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 5 Apr. 2024
The brand’s calling card is basics with a twist: silver rings with chain-like forms, chains that look like nothing else on the market, forms studded with semi-precious stones like lapis lazuli and turquoise.
—Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 4 Apr. 2024
Adjective
While the property had been around since 1964, it had never been upgraded outside of basic maintenance.
—Ural Garrett, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Apr. 2024
There is a voter initiative that will be voted on this November by the voters of Solano County that will put in place high-level zoning, high-level building standards, so things like densities and heights and kind of basic uses, what's allowed to go where.
—Dana Taylor, USA TODAY, 27 Apr. 2024
Senior center offers mahjong class A free four-week class introducing the beginner to the basic rules and simple strategies of American-style mahjong is from 10 to 11:30 a.m.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Apr. 2024
Our Legislature needs mandatory lessons in basic math, accounting practices and contract negotiations.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 26 Apr. 2024
SmartAsset used Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Living Wage Calculator to determine the basic cost of living for an adult with no children as well as for two working adults with two children.
—Brianna Taylor, Sacramento Bee, 25 Apr. 2024
And his ability to do things that help your defense be at an elite level that are not obvious, that are not just the basic shot-blocking or protecting the rim.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2024
The biggest thing on basic cable was CNN, feasting on Desert Storm coverage.
—Jeffrey Marks, Rolling Stone, 24 Apr. 2024
The company was founded in 1941 as Krueger Metal Products to make basic folding chairs from scrap metal, about as modest a start as a company with global reach could have.
—Journal Sentinel, 24 Apr. 2024
Noun
The minimalist design is great for travelers looking to load up their wardrobe with easy, breezy basics, but the dress can also be elevated with a pair of heels and an oversized blazer for a night out on the town.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 13 Apr. 2024
The drone offers three difficulty levels: Level one helps kiddos learn flying basics, level two activates both joysticks but maintains the self-leveling feature, and level three gives users the freedom and tools to do flips and fly at faster speeds.
—Maya Polton, Parents, 12 Apr. 2024
The very basics of many gynecological and obstetrical pathologies are still poorly understood.
—Catherine M. Klapperich, STAT, 12 Apr. 2024
Emergency Survival Cards $14.95 Instead of having to remember the key steps to take in every emergency, these emergency survival cards give you the basics for a variety of different natural disasters.
—Christopher Murray, Fox News, 11 Apr. 2024
Here are the basics: Q: Why are Yosemite officials doing this?
—Paul Rogers, The Mercury News, 9 Apr. 2024
In-person classes on the basics of starting a pollinator garden and selecting plants will be held at 11 a.m. May 9 and 10.
—Journal Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2024
He was focused on giving ESPN viewers the basics, and tended not to favor programing that tried to move outside the lines.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 5 Apr. 2024
The brand’s calling card is basics with a twist: silver rings with chain-like forms, chains that look like nothing else on the market, forms studded with semi-precious stones like lapis lazuli and turquoise.
—Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 4 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'basic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near basic
Cite this Entry
“Basic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/basic. Accessed 30 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
basic
1 of 3 adjective
ba·sic
ˈbā-sik 
-zik
1
: of, relating to, or forming the base or basis : fundamental
basic research
2
: of, relating to, containing, or having the character of a chemical base
basically
adverb
-si-k(ə-)lē
-zi-
basic
2 of 3 noun
: something basic : fundamental
BASIC
3 of 3 noun
BA·SIC
ˈbā-sik
-zik
: a simplified language for programming and interacting with a computer
Etymology
Noun
Beginners All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code
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