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

In the basement there are two rooms, both with stairs that disappear into brown liquid. —Claire Harbage, NPR, 17 Dec. 2024

There was silence for a second in the basement of Prince Hall Masonic Temple on the city’s near north side. —John Diedrich, USA TODAY, 14 Dec. 2024

JonBenet, who was found dead in the basement of her Boulder, Colorado, home in 1996, remains frozen in time. —Doc Louallen, ABC News, 13 Dec. 2024

Distinctive elements: Located on 7/10 of an acre; fenced backyard; 2-and-a-half car garage; full finished basement; two fireplaces; swimming pool; pool house; front and back porches; two patios; doggy door on the back porch; countless Christmas decorations. —Lennie Omalza, The Courier-Journal, 12 Dec. 2024

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