English Reference
noun

fundamentals

n.
US /ˌfəndəˈmɛnəɫz/ UK /fˌʌndəmˈɛntəlz/ fun·da·men·tals

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    the basic rules or skills you must learn to understand a subject or do an activity well.

    the essential and foundational principles or skills upon which a more complex system or practice is built.

    Simple

    Before you start playing songs, you need to master the fundamentals of the guitar.

    In context

    The coach insisted that the team return to the fundamentals of defense after several games where basic positioning errors led to unnecessary losses.

    Usage

    Usually used in the plural form.

    detailsminutiae
  2. 02 C1 Advanced Technical Finance

    the basic facts about a company's health, like its profits and debts, used to decide if its stock is a good buy.

    the underlying economic and financial data of a company or economy used to determine its intrinsic value.

    Simple

    The stock price is falling, but the company's fundamentals remain very strong.

    In context

    While market sentiment was driven by short-term panic, analysts argued that the underlying fundamentals of the tech sector justified a long-term investment strategy.

    Usage

    Refers specifically to fundamental analysis data in a financial context.

One thing I’ve learned over two decades is that when it comes to the fundamentals of democracy, political science is not rocket science.

The Conversation· 10 Sept 2026
This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated