ENGLISH
REFERENCE

basic

adj.
B1 Intermediate Oxford US //ˈbeɪsɪk// UK //bˈeɪsɪk// ba·sic General-service Informal

adj. describing something that is simple, necessary, or the most important part of a task. You use this for things that are not complicated and provide a starting point for learning more.

adj. forming an essential foundation or starting point; fundamental. Often used to describe the simplest level of a skill or the most necessary components of a system.


SIMPLE

The hotel room is very basic but clean.

CONTEXTUAL

Before you start the advanced course, you need a basic understanding of how the software works.

COMPLEX

While the initial proposal seems basic, it addresses the fundamental structural issues that have plagued the project since its inception, providing a necessary framework for future development.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

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.

Usage

The adjective is gradable and can be used both before a noun and after a linking verb.

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