Basic ˈbeɪsɪk Principles Adjective Bre Information/Facts/Ideas Law Drums

• basic information/facts/ideas
• the basic principles of law
• drums are basic to african music.
• the campsite provided only basic facilities.

basic

1. forming the part of something that is most necessary and from which other things develop
• basic information/facts/ideas
• the basic principles of law
• Drums are basic to African music.
2. of the simplest kind or at the simplest level
• The campsite provided only basic facilities.
• My knowledge of French is pretty basic.
3. necessary and important to all people
• basic human rights
• the cost of basic foods
4. before anything extra is added
• The basic pay of the average worker has risen by 3 per cent.

Extra Examples

• Aren’t food and shelter basic human rights?
• Before designing the house we planned the basic layout of the rooms.
• During the first term, we will concentrate on the basic principles of law.
• The basic idea is that we all meet up in London.
• The basic recipe can be adapted by adding grated lemon.
• The report sets out the cost of basic foods in several European countries.
• There is a basic fault in the design of the engine.
• There’s a basic contradiction in the whole idea of paying for justice.
• They haven’t even given us the most basic information we need.

Word Origin

• mid 19th cent.: from the noun base + -ic.