Main Entry: ru·di·men·ta·ry

Pronunciation: \ˌrü-də-ˈmen-tə-rē, -ˈmen-trē\

Function: adjective

Date: 1839

1 : consisting in first principles : fundamental <had only a rudimentary formal education — D. J. Boorstin>
2 : of a primitive kind <the equipment of these past empire-builders was rudimentary — A. J. Toynbee>
3 : very imperfectly developed or represented only by a vestige <the rudimentary tail of a hyrax>

— ru·di·men·tar·i·ly \-ˌmen-ˈter-ə-lē, -ˈmen-trə-lē\ adverb

— ru·di·men·ta·ri·ness \-ˈmen-tə-rē-nəs, -ˈmen-trē-\ noun