basic

A2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈbeɪsɪk/ See IPA manual

Freq #3234

Meanings

1

adj
Forming the most important or simplest part of something; fundamental.

Flour is a basic ingredient of bread.
2

adj
Simple and plain, with only what is necessary and nothing extra.

The hotel room was very basic but clean.
3

noun
An essential thing you need to know or have.

Once you've learned the basics, the rest is easier.
4

adj
Ordinary and unoriginal in a way considered uncool.

He called the trendy coffee order totally basic.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · forming the most important... essential fundamental elementary

2 adj · simple and plain, with only... bare plain simple

4 adj · ordinary and unoriginal in... boring unoriginal bland

Word family

Forms basics

Derived forms abasicbasicalbasicallybasicitybasicnessbibasicdibasicgnathobasicheptabasichexabasicmacrobasicmesobasic

Appears in

Phrases (4)

See all

basic fact
a fundamental piece of information that forms a foundation for understanding

Adjective + noun
basic rule
a fundamental, simple rule that is easy to understand

Adjective + noun
basic assumption
a central idea taken as true when developing an argument or plan

Adjective + noun
basic slag
steelmaking slag rich in calcium phosphate and low in silica

Adjective + noun

Idioms (1)

See all

back to basics
returning to the simple, fundamental principles of an activity

Etymology

Acronym for Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code, but designed to spell out basic (i.e. simplistic). First use appears c. 1964 in the BASIC Instruction Manual.

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# basic

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** adj, noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈbeɪsɪk/
**Frequency rank:** 3234

## Meanings
1. Forming the most important or simplest part of something; fundamental.
2. Simple and plain, with only what is necessary and nothing extra.
3. An essential thing you need to know or have.
4. Ordinary and unoriginal in a way considered uncool.

## Examples
- Flour is a basic ingredient of bread.
- The hotel room was very basic but clean.
- Once you've learned the basics, the rest is easier.
- He called the trendy coffee order totally basic.

## Derived Forms
- abasic
- basical
- basically
- basicity
- basicness
- bibasic
- dibasic
- gnathobasic
- heptabasic
- hexabasic
- macrobasic
- mesobasic

## Roots and Affixes
- Affix: -ic - relating to

## Etymology
Acronym for Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code, but designed to spell out basic (i.e. simplistic). First use appears c. 1964 in the BASIC Instruction Manual.

## AI Etymology
Basic is an acronym for Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code, but designed to spell out basic (i.e. simplistic). First use appears c. 1964 in the BASIC Instruction Manual.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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