elementary

B2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˌɛləˈmɛntəɹi/ UK /ˌɛlɪˈmɛntəɹi/ See IPA manual

Freq #7764

Meanings

1

adj
Very simple and easy to understand.

The first chapter covers only elementary grammar.
2

adj
Forming the basic part of something; serving as a foundation.

Students must master the elementary rules before moving on.
3

adj
Relating to the first years of school for young children.

My daughter is in her last year of elementary school.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · very simple and easy to... simple uncomplicated

2 adj · forming the basic part of... primary

Word family

Derived forms elementarilyelementarinesselementarismmonoelementarynonelementarypostelementarysubelementarysuperelementaryunelementary

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

elementary school
a school providing the first main years of children's education

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From Middle English elementare, from Latin elementārius (“elementary”), from elementum (“one of the four elements of antiquity; fundamentals”) + -ārius (adjective-forming suffix). Cognate with French élémentaire. By surface analysis, element + -ary.

elementare Middle English elementārius Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# elementary

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˌɛləˈmɛntəɹi/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌɛlɪˈmɛntəɹi/
**Frequency rank:** 7764

## Meanings
1. Very simple and easy to understand.
2. Forming the basic part of something; serving as a foundation.
3. Relating to the first years of school for young children.

## Examples
- The first chapter covers only elementary grammar.
- Students must master the elementary rules before moving on.
- My daughter is in her last year of elementary school.

## Derived Forms
- elementarily
- elementariness
- elementarism
- monoelementary
- nonelementary
- postelementary
- subelementary
- superelementary
- unelementary

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: elementare
- Root: elementārius

## Etymology
From Middle English elementare, from Latin elementārius (“elementary”), from elementum (“one of the four elements of antiquity; fundamentals”) + -ārius (adjective-forming suffix). Cognate with French élémentaire. By surface analysis, element + -ary.

## AI Etymology
Elementary comes from Middle English elementare, from Latin elementārius (“elementary”), from elementum (“one of the four elements of antiquity; fundamentals”) + -ārius (adjective-forming suffix). Cognate with French élémentaire. By surface analysis, element + -ary. In current use, the main senses are “Very simple and easy to understand” and “Forming the basic part of something; serving as a foundation”.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

markdown