basics
n.n. the most important or simplest facts or skills that you need to know about a subject.
n. the fundamental principles, facts, or skills of a particular subject or activity.
I need to learn the basics of cooking first.
Before you can start writing complex code, you must have a firm grasp of the basics of the programming language.
The introductory course is designed to strip away unnecessary jargon and focus entirely on the basics of financial management for small business owners.
Derived from the noun base, which entered English via the Old French bas, ultimately from the Latin basis. The plural form emerged through the addition of the standard suffix -s to denote a collection of fundamental elements.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Pluralia tantum; takes a plural verb and is almost always used with the definite article 'the'.
Last updated July 22, 2026