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 basal flange bowl contains a scene showing two bound prisoners.
—
Kerry Breen
july 10, CBS News, 10 July 2025
The team’s standardized implant consists of two coordinated sets of electrodes: One targets the SGC brain region involved in profound sadness, while the other stimulates a reward-and-motivation hub deep in the brain’s basal ganglia.
—IEEE Spectrum, 30 June 2025
The key areas affected included the thalamus, basal ganglia, brainstem, and insular cortex, known to be involved in impulse control, emotional regulation, and behavioral inhibition.
—New Atlas, 26 June 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for basal
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Kerry Breen
july 10, CBS News, 10 July 2025
The team’s standardized implant consists of two coordinated sets of electrodes: One targets the SGC brain region involved in profound sadness, while the other stimulates a reward-and-motivation hub deep in the brain’s basal ganglia.
—IEEE Spectrum, 30 June 2025
The key areas affected included the thalamus, basal ganglia, brainstem, and insular cortex, known to be involved in impulse control, emotional regulation, and behavioral inhibition.
—New Atlas, 26 June 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for basal
Cite this Entry
“Basal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/basal. Accessed 31 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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