1Forming an essential foundation or starting point; fundamental.

1. 1.1Offering or consisting in the minimum required without elaboration or luxury; simplest or lowest in level.
   ‘the food was good, if a bit basic’
   More example sentences

   • ‘basic and unsophisticated resorts’
   • ‘The following list is a minimum basic guide as to what you will need.’
   • ‘What are the basic minimum requirements for one to set up a restaurant and do these so called restaurants meet the standards?’
   • ‘Forest dwelling hunter-gatherer communities are never very large, but they need a basic minimum area for subsistence.’
   • ‘His product has the advantage of being faster than most rivals' basic broadband offerings.’
   • ‘Accommodation on safari varies from basic camping to luxury lodges and tented camps.’
   • ‘Though we found them to be tasty enough, it would be difficult for such basic offerings to be made truly impressive.’
   • ‘We are not talking about luxury extras, but basic programmed repairs.’
   • ‘Contestants will have limited food and are only allowed to take with them two basic luxury items.’
   • ‘This should lead to a form that requires families to list their basic contact information.’
   • ‘Almost any operating system can meet the basic task requirements you listed.’
   • ‘The question seems almost too basic: What constitutes successful treatment?’
   • ‘You'll find the most basic offerings are the healthiest ones as well.’
   • ‘It has some really fun recipes, ranging from very basic to quite advanced.’
   • ‘But, in general the musical tastes of the kids in Wales was basic to say the least.’
   • ‘Shopping carts range from basic to those with more advanced options.’
   • ‘The business jet also comes with a choice of interior decoration ranging from the basic to sumptuous.’
   • ‘Keep your potatoes basic to make them a beneficial part of your diet.’
   • ‘We will illustrate this in several conservative portfolios running from basic to fully developed.’
   • ‘Let's take a look at several different toplogies, from basic to more advanced.’
   • ‘I know it seems kinda basic to be writing this, I mean, we're all skiers here right?’
   Synonyms

   lowest, bottom, starting, ground, undermost

   plain, simple, unsophisticated, straightforward, adequate, unadorned, undecorated, unornamented, without frills

   View synonyms
2. 1.2Common to or required by everyone; primary and ineradicable or inalienable.
   ‘basic human rights’
   More example sentences

   • ‘The meeting would help to raise awareness that everyone should enjoy the basic human right of freedom of choice in marriage, she said.’
   • ‘Being a week of Remembrance, we all need to observe that everyone has the basic human right to freedom of speech.’
   • ‘And the shortest road to equality is to provide for everyone's basic human needs free of charge.’
   • ‘It has to do with the basic human repertoire of emotions, cognitive capabilities and even longevity of life.’
   • ‘It seems a process of alienation has taken place that has undermined common sense and basic human decency.’
   • ‘Asylum and immigration issues have at their heart the fundamental principles of basic human rights.’
   • ‘How many of those elements are set forth in or necessarily implied by the basic human rights instruments?’
   • ‘Leaving a small child alone at home defies basic, fundamental common sense.’
   • ‘Everyone accepts that freedom of speech is a basic human right.’
   • ‘Literacy is both an essential skill and a basic human right.’
   • ‘Revenge is a basic human emotion, but revenge only becomes justice if carried out by the State.’
   • ‘Best of all, his choreography speaks unabashedly from and to basic human emotions.’
   • ‘That philosophy is that there is a basic human right of health for everyone.’
   • ‘I agree that substantial freedoms are a vital component of basic human dignity.’
   • ‘This bill shows the government's disrespect for basic human rights and established legal principles.’
   • ‘The four fundamental interests are embodied in an authoritative code of basic human rights.’
   • ‘As we hear today what the year may bring forth, I think it is wise to remind ourselves of these three basic human requirements.’
   • ‘We treat food as a marketable commodity, instead of as a basic human necessity.’
   • ‘The business is still profitable as everyone needs basic commodities regardless of price or financial standing.’
   • ‘Many constitutions require that basic rights can be curtailed only if less onerous measures are not available.’
3. 1.3North American informal, derogatory Having tastes, interests, or attitudes regarded as mainstream or conventional (typically used of a woman)
   More example sentences

   • ‘if your date orders vegetable tempura you know she is totally basic’

2Chemistry
Having the properties of a base, or containing a base; having a pH greater than 7.

1. 2.1Geology (of rock, especially igneous rock) relatively poor in silica.
   ‘a coarse-grained, basic, plutonic rock’
   More example sentences

   • ‘The Liva Member includes parts of the formation composed of basic lavas and tuffs with only minor interbedded sediments.’
   • ‘Enstatite occurs in plutonic basic and ultrabasic rocks such as peridotite and norite, and also in some high-grade metamorphic rocks.’
   • ‘Quarzitic gneiss, low-grade metamorphic basic rocks, phyllites and dark chert can be abundant in some layers.’
   • ‘All the Gardar basic rocks are inferred to have been derived from the mantle, with relatively little crustal contamination.’
   • ‘It appears that basic magmas across the Gardar Province were derived from a heterogeneous, enriched lithospheric mantle reservoir.’
2. 2.2Metallurgy Relating to or denoting steelmaking processes involving lime-rich refractories and slags.
   ‘The refractories for casting a basic substance are used for ladles, tundishes, vacuum degasing furnaces, mixers, and the like.’
   More example sentences

   • ‘The lining must resist high temperature, oxidized basic slag and liquid metal.’
   • ‘Refractory bricks for steel production include Basic refractory bricks and High-Alumina refractory bricks.’
   • ‘I moved to the open hearth to explore the use of basic refractories-magnesite, chrome-magnesite and chrome brick-for furnace linings.’
   • ‘Accounting for 60% of the world's total output of crude steel, the Basic Oxygen Steelmaking (BOS) process is the dominant steelmaking technology.’

1basicsinformal The essential facts or principles of a subject or skill.

1. 1.1Essential food and other supplies.
   More example sentences

   • ‘people are facing a shortage of basics like flour’
   • ‘Many people appear to be saving their spare cash after paying out more for basics such as food, transport and health.’
   • ‘On other occasions, the candidate had promised a nation where people do not have to choose between basics, such as food and medicine.’
   • ‘Aid agencies on the ground continued to warn that millions across the region were without the basics of food and clean water.’
   • ‘The seniors identified a need for basics such as food, water and shelter.’
   • ‘After surviving such an event, people need basics - food, shelter, medical care, and consolation.’
   • ‘Customers could still buy basics like salt, vinegar, tobacco, soap and candles.’
   • ‘In my shopping basket I always have vegetable basics like carrots, broccoli and spinach in a bag.’
   • ‘Upon chancing a nibble, however, I felt that it could have done with a little bit more of the basics, namely salt and pepper.’
   • ‘Lentils and a few spices and other basics can lead to unexpected winter delights on a budget.’
   • ‘Families crowd into tiny, ramshackle homes and scrounge for food as well as soap, paper and other basics.’
   • ‘They are concerned with getting the basics for survival; shelter, food, water.’
   • ‘Even the animals' access to basics such as water, food and veterinary care is often severely limited.’
   • ‘A $24,000 income leaves no room to purchase basics such as health insurance or new clothing.’
   • ‘These people are not even afforded the very basics of health care, like vaccines or antibiotics.’
   • ‘Grain farming became less popular - this, again, kept towns and cities short of such basics as bread.’
   • ‘Restrict yourself to the basics, like a barley soup and some canned vegetables.’
   • ‘It is not an addiction, it is simply that good cheese is as high on my list of basics for a decent life as good bread, strong coffee and leafy green salad.’
   • ‘When it comes down to basics it is really nothing more than an amalgam of sugar, salt, herbs, spices and vitamins with brewer's yeast.’
   • ‘Rule one is stick to basics: Order baked or broiled meat dishes, without breading or sauces.’
   • ‘Here are a few ways to make the most of your party basics without skimping on style or comfort’
2. 1.2Military Basic training.
   More example sentences

   • ‘Sailors learn Army basics to prep for downrange deployment.’
   • ‘When we did basics in the army, you just mention you're tired all the time and they grab you, jab you with a needle.’
   • ‘Yes, I have finished basics!’
   • ‘After he finished “basics,” he was transferred to Laredo, Texas, to be trained as an Army Air Force gunner.’
   • ‘I would have been there but I had just finished basics and was only 17 and too young.’

A simple high-level computer programming language that uses familiar English words, designed for beginners and formerly used widely.