1
a
: relating to, situated at, or forming the base
b
: arising from the base of a stem
basal leaves
2
a
: of or relating to the foundation, base, or essence : fundamental
b
: of, relating to, or being essential for maintaining the fundamental vital activities of an organism : minimal
a basal diet
c
: used for teaching beginners
basal readers
basally
adverb
Examples of basal in a Sentence
many students lacked even a basal familiarity with the topic
Recent Examples on the Web
The problem with that habit memory, or that basal ganglia, is that when there's a change in that normal routine … your basal ganglia can't account for that.
—
Audrey Conklin, FOXNews.com, 25 June 2025
Regular repetition starts to shift the pattern from your prefrontal cortex — the region of your brain responsible for willpower, complex decision-making and emotional regulation — to a different area of the brain called the basal ganglia.
—Dr. Faye Begeti, CNBC, 23 June 2025
The first relates to the minute amount of glucose found in basal tears: Typical tear glucose levels are on the order of 0.1 to 0.6 millimole, while glucose levels in the blood range from about 4 to 6 mmol.
—IEEE Spectrum, 25 July 2017
Prune these back almost to the ground as basal growth appears.
—Pamm Cooper, Hartford Courant, 10 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for basal
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Audrey Conklin, FOXNews.com, 25 June 2025
Regular repetition starts to shift the pattern from your prefrontal cortex — the region of your brain responsible for willpower, complex decision-making and emotional regulation — to a different area of the brain called the basal ganglia.
—Dr. Faye Begeti, CNBC, 23 June 2025
The first relates to the minute amount of glucose found in basal tears: Typical tear glucose levels are on the order of 0.1 to 0.6 millimole, while glucose levels in the blood range from about 4 to 6 mmol.
—IEEE Spectrum, 25 July 2017
Prune these back almost to the ground as basal growth appears.
—Pamm Cooper, Hartford Courant, 10 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for basal
Cite this Entry
“Basal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/basal. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.
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Medical Definition
1
: relating to, situated at, or forming the base
2
: of, relating to, or essential for maintaining the fundamental vital activities of an organism (as respiration, heartbeat, or excretion)
a basal diet
see basal metabolism
3
: serving as or serving to induce an initial comatose or unconscious state that forms a basis for further anesthetization
basal narcosis
a basal anesthetic
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