rudimentary

adjective

ru·​di·​men·​ta·​ry ˌrü-də-ˈmen-tə-rē How to pronounce rudimentary (audio)
-ˈmen-trē
1
: consisting in first principles : fundamental
had only a rudimentary formal educationD. J. Boorstin
2
: of a primitive kind
the equipment of these past empire-builders was rudimentaryA. J. Toynbee
3
: very imperfectly developed or represented only by a vestige
the rudimentary tail of a hyrax
rudimentarily adverb
rudimentariness noun

Examples of rudimentary in a Sentence

Because now, every schlemiel with a pair of mirrored sunglasses and a rudimentary grasp of the rules of poker thinks he can play cards with the pros. A. J. Jacobs, New York Times Book Review, 8 May 2005
Despite the rudimentary nature of its instruments—an octant, a chronometer and a level—the Lewis and Clark Expedition was a triumph for science and natural history. Daniel J. Boorstin, U.S. News & World Report, 11 July 1994
A few were hopeless imbeciles, unable to comprehend more than the rudimentary requirements of filling their bellies when food was placed before them … Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Monster Men, 1929
This class requires a rudimentary knowledge of human anatomy. When baseball was in its rudimentary stages, different teams played by different rules. Some insects have only rudimentary wings.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
And no, this doesn't mean turning the office into a place full of rudimentary and shallow perks. Julian Hayes Ii, Forbes.com, 26 May 2025 His projections were rudimentary by today’s standards, but at the time were ahead of the curve. David Hill, Rolling Stone, 24 May 2025 At Cruise’s behest, McQuarrie’s stunts imitate the most primitive filmmaking — not the awe-inspiring magic of Georges Méliès but the Lumière brothers’ rudimentary documentation of action. Armond White, National Review, 23 May 2025 Hanna-Barbera figured out how to make do with more rudimentary animation, cutting in half the number of original frames per second. Brooks Barnes, New York Times, 21 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for rudimentary

Word History

Etymology

see rudiment

First Known Use

1619, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of rudimentary was in 1619

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Cite this Entry

“Rudimentary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rudimentary. Accessed 31 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

rudimentary

adjective
ru·​di·​men·​ta·​ry ˌrüd-ə-ˈment-ə-rē How to pronounce rudimentary (audio)
-ˈmen-trē
1
2
: very imperfectly developed or represented only by a small part compared to the fully developed form
a rudimentary tail

Medical Definition

rudimentary

adjective
ru·​di·​men·​ta·​ry ˌrüd-ə-ˈment-ə-rē, -ˈmen-trē How to pronounce rudimentary (audio)
: very imperfectly developed or represented only by a vestige

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