building block

noun

: a unit of construction or composition
especially : something essential on which a larger entity is based

Examples of building block in a Sentence

historically the infantry division has been a basic building block of armies
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Other worlds Two studies released Wednesday revealed the asteroid contained many of the chemical building blocks of life, such as amino acids and components found in DNA. Katie Hunt, CNN, 1 Feb. 2025 One thing that is clear is learning more about these obelisks could reveal more about the building blocks of life itself. Discover Magazine, 31 Jan. 2025 The large language models are just the building blocks. Katie Fehrenbacher, Axios, 30 Jan. 2025 The findings in the Nature Astronomy paper were significant not just for the discovery of the five RNA and DNA precursors, but for the presence of abundant levels of ammonia, which is a key chemical building block for life. Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 29 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for building block 

Word History

First Known Use

1756, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of building block was in 1756

Dictionary Entries Near building block

Cite this Entry

“Building block.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/building%20block. Accessed 5 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

building block

noun
: a unit of construction or composition
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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