base

1 of 4

noun

ˈbās 

plural bases ˈbā-səz 

1

a

: the bottom of something considered as its support : foundation

the base of the mountain

the lamp's heavy base

b

biology : that part of a bodily organ by which it is attached to another more central structure of the organism

the base of the thumb

c architecture

(1)

: the lower part of a wall, pier, or column considered as a separate architectural feature

(2)

: the lower part of a complete architectural design (as of a monument)

d mathematics

(1)

: a side or face (see face entry 1 sense 5a(5)) of a geometrical figure from which an altitude (see altitude sense 1c(1)) can be constructed

especially : a side or face on which the figure stands

the base of a triangle

(2)

: the length of a base

determining the triangle's base

2

a

: a main ingredient

paint having a latex base

b

: a supporting or carrying ingredient (as of a medicine)

c

: a first or bottom layer of something on which other elements are added

Overnight, Utah's famous snow has freshly blanketed both runs, adding to a solid base of three feet …

—Abby Carroll

3

a

: the fundamental part of something : groundwork, basis

the book's theoretical base

her broad base of knowledge

b

: something (as a group of people) that reliably provides support (such as for a business or political candidate)

—usually singular

efforts to expand their customer base

the band's fan base

But I do believe that that's a very sore point with many Democrats and could be used to energize their base.

—John McCain

c

Marxism : the economic factors on which all legal, social, and political relations are formed

4

a

: the starting point or line for an action or undertaking

plans to make this city his base of operation

—J. A. Loftus

b

: a baseline in surveying

c

: a center or area of operations

The company has its base in London.

: such as

(1)

: a permanent military installation

a naval base

The troops were ordered back to base.

(2)

: the place from which a military force draws supplies

(3)

: a place where military operations begin

d

linguistics : root sense 6

"Leave" is the base of the verb "left."

e mathematics

(1)

: a number (such as 5 in 5^6.44 or 5⁷) that is raised to a power (see power entry 1 sense 5a)

especially : the number that when raised to a power equal to the logarithm of a number yields the number itself

The logarithm of 100 to the base 10 is 2 since 10² = 100.

(2)

: a number equal to the number of units in a given digit's place (see place entry 1 sense 8) that for a given system of writing numbers is required to give the numeral 1 in the next higher place

The decimal system uses a base of 10.

also : such a system of writing numbers using an indicated base

Convert from base 10 to base 2.

(3)

: a number that is multiplied by a rate or of which a percentage or fraction is calculated

To find the interest on $90 at 10 percent multiply the base 90 by .10.

5

a

: any one of the four stations at the corners of a baseball or softball infield

allowing the batter to reach base

b

in various games : the starting place or goal

c

: a point to be considered

His opening remarks touched every base.

6

chemistry

a

: any of various typically water-soluble and bitter tasting compounds that in solution have a pH greater than 7, are capable of reacting with an acid to form a salt, and are molecules or ions able to take up a proton from an acid or able to give up an unshared pair of electrons to an acid

b

: any of the five purine or pyrimidine bases of DNA and RNA that include cytosine, guanine, adenine, thymine, and uracil

7

finance : a price level at which a security (see security sense 3) previously declining in price resists further decline

8

heraldry : the lower part of a heraldic field (see field entry 1 sense 3c)

9

linguistics : the part of a transformational grammar that consists of rules and a lexicon and generates the deep structures of a language

10

: an electrode that modulates the current flowing through a bipolar junction transistor according to the voltage applied to the electrode

This gate, which is called a grid in a tube and a base in a transistor, enables a small "controlling" voltage to turn on and off a much larger voltage between the cathode and the anode.

—Thom Hartmann

compare gate entry 1 sense 5b

baseless

ˈbā-sləs 

adjective

Illustration of base

• 1 upper torus
• 2 scotia
• 3 lower torus
• 4 plinth
• 5 shaft
• 6 fillets

base

2 of 4

verb

based; basing

transitive verb

1

: to find a foundation or basis for : to find a base (see base entry 1 sense 3a) for

—usually used with on or upon

base an opinion on faulty information

a story based upon real-life events

2

: to make, form, or serve as a base for

… great roots based the tree columns …

—George Macdonald

the company is based in London

clients who are based out of their homes

base

3 of 4

adjective (1)

1

a

: lacking or indicating the lack of higher qualities of mind or spirit : ignoble

seemed a base betrayal of idealism

—L. M. Sears

appealing to a person's baser instincts

b

: lacking higher values : degrading

a drab base way of life

2

a

: being of comparatively low value and having relatively inferior properties (such as lack of resistance to corrosion)

a base metal such as iron

compare noble entry 1

b

: containing a larger than usual proportion of base metals

base silver denarii

3

feudalism

a

: resembling a villein : servile

a base tenant

b

: held by villenage

base tenure

4

archaic : of little height

… the cedar stoops not to the base shrub's foot …

—Shakespeare

5

archaic : baseborn

… base in kind and born to be a slave.

—William Cowper

6

obsolete : low in place or position

… fall to the base earth from the firmament!

—Shakespeare

7

obsolete : bass

basely adverb

baseness noun

base

4 of 4

adjective (2)

1

: constituting or serving as a base

This situation is frequently encountered by seaplane pilots in northern Canada who must fly over lakes and tundra to a base camp located on a river.

—Alan Lopez

2

: of the simplest or most basic design or form : having the form of something before upgrades or customization

This GTO's 350-hp, 5.7-liter V8 is the same that's used in the base Corvette, and it produces the power and throaty exhaust sound of a classic muscle car.

—Consumer Reports

Phrases

cover all the bases or less commonly cover every base or have (all) one's bases covered

: to do or include everything that needs to be done or included : to fulfill all requirements or necessities

The well rounded menu covers all the bases—pork or duck breast and always a grilled chicken with complementary sauces and relishes …

—Caroline Bates

In other words, we need to cover every base. Too often, something is remembered at the last minute and we find ourselves waiting for the stores to open on sale day so we can purchase a much-needed item.

—Sue Story

In your e-mail, let the company know that, for their convenience, you're e-mailing the resume and letter, but that the original documents will arrive by postal service. This way you've got all your bases covered.

—Peter Post

off base

1

: wrong, mistaken

Estimates were way off base.

2

: unawares

caught off base by the charges

touch all the bases or less commonly touch every base

1

: to mention every subject that needs to be considered

a speech that touches all the bases

2

: to do or include everything that needs to be done or included : to fulfill all requirements or necessities

need to touch all the bases when applying for a mortgage

The owner of the Utah Stars is in Salt Lake City, working 24 hours a day in an effort to touch every base to keep his club in Utah's capital city.

—Dan Pattison

Synonyms

Noun

• basis
• bedrock
• bottom
• cornerstone
• footing
• foundation
• ground
• groundwork
• keystone
• root
• underpinning
• warp
• warp and woof

Verb

• ground
• hang
• predicate
• rest

Adjective (1)

• contemptible
• currish
• despicable
• detestable
• dirty
• dishonorable
• execrable
• ignoble
• ignominious
• low
• low-down
• low-minded
• mean
• nasty
• paltry
• snide
• sordid
• vile
• wretched

Choose the Right Synonym for base

base, low, vile mean deserving of contempt because of the absence of higher values.

base stresses the ignoble and may suggest cruelty, treachery, greed, or grossness.

base motives

low may connote crafty cunning, vulgarity, or immorality and regularly implies an outraging of one's sense of decency or propriety.

refused to listen to such low talk

vile, the strongest of these words, tends to suggest disgusting depravity or filth.

a vile remark

Examples of base in a Sentence

Noun

their base obedience to every unprincipled action ordered by their leader

the army's base of attack was kept top secret until the battle began

Verb

They are going to base their new company in Seattle.

The company has based itself in London.

Our tour group based itself in a hotel in the heart of the city.

Adjective (1)

Iron is a base metal.

a base and sneaky act that is a clear violation of international law

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Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Aiming for an immersive museum show, and playing off a documentary base, the history of Mexico’s drug cartels, using trad animation, VR for the pilot and IA to bring recorded content near to animation. —John Hopewell, Variety, 29 Nov. 2023

Frontier Airlines is doubling down on Chicago, with plans to reopen a pilot base that will serve both major airports in the Windy City. —Stella Shon, Travel + Leisure, 28 Nov. 2023

The pony itself was styled into a bouncy, vintage cheerleader-style flip at the ends, and Robbie's hair was wrapped around the base to disguise any bands or pins. —Kara Nesvig, Allure, 28 Nov. 2023

Since then, however, the Republican base has only embraced Trump more. —Kelsey Walsh, ABC News, 28 Nov. 2023

The base is one of several major military installations on Oahu. —CBS News, 28 Nov. 2023

As for setup, the tree comes together in just a few steps: Connect the base to the largest section of the tree, then attach the remaining sections and fluff the branches. —Nicola Fumo, Peoplemag, 28 Nov. 2023

Whipping cream and half-and-half: Dairy is the other half of the custard base that makes up a quiche. —Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 28 Nov. 2023

But, like all crises, the war has nonetheless revealed something important about our politics—a rift between the Democrats’ young and increasingly left-leaning base and an old-fashioned liberal of a President who is turning eighty-one on Monday. —Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, 17 Nov. 2023

Verb

The question of leadership is an empirical one, based in perceivable reality. —Theodore McDarrah, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023

And his prospects looked promising with a series of feature film and TV projects at Amazon that were based on Donald E. Westlake’s Parker noir crime novels. —Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 30 Nov. 2023

Earlier in the year, influencer Caryn Marjorie (2.6 million followers on Snapchat, 745,000 on YouTube) worked with a company to create a virtual AI chatbot based on her likeness. —Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Nov. 2023

She has been based in London since late 2003, after having been based in Moscow (2000-03). —Elizabeth Palmer, CBS News, 30 Nov. 2023

The TikTok Billboard Top 50 is a weekly ranking of the most popular songs on TikTok in the United States based on creations, video views and user engagement. —Kevin Rutherford, Billboard, 30 Nov. 2023

John Vaillant is a writer and journalist based between Canada and the U.S. —Chris Klimek, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Nov. 2023

Woodrow Johnston, a Republican consultant based in Las Vegas, voiced skepticism that the debate would help DeSantis in an interview with the Washington Examiner. —Mabinty Quarshie, Washington Examiner, 30 Nov. 2023

Joelle Garfinkel, a strike captain based at the CBS Radford lot in Studio City, was an inspiration to many as a single mother, strike captain and creator of the Green Envelope fund that helped WGA members and others buy groceries. —Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 18 Nov. 2023

Adjective

Drivers typically receive a base salary plus bonuses for points scored or for race or championship wins, with the bonus amount depending on the size of the team and the experience of the driver. —Brett Knight, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2023

That may involve a base layer of thermal leggings from the likes of Falke or Uniqlo’s famed Heattech, followed by a cashmere turtleneck, and a durable ski suit. —Amy Louise Bailey, Travel + Leisure, 27 Nov. 2023

According to my calculations, the base partisanship of Utah's 2nd District is R+21, so if Democrats turn in an average overperformance there, Republicans would win by only 12 points. —Nathaniel Rakich, ABC News, 20 Nov. 2023

While the base rear-wheel drive EV6 can do up to 310 miles on a charge, according to the EPA’s range test, the GT’s range aspirations are a bit more modest: just 206 miles, per the EPA. —Daniel Golson, The Verge, 27 Oct. 2023

Jones, meanwhile, has one year remaining on his four-year, $80 million contract, with a base salary of $19.5 million. —Jarrett Bell, USA TODAY, 5 Sep. 2023

This is the same price Apple charges for the base M1 MacBook Air. —Tom Warren, The Verge, 24 Oct. 2023

This design will likely become the norm for even base iPhones in the next release waves. —Kurt Knutsson, Fox News, 23 Oct. 2023

In the long run, preying on humanity’s basest instincts through spectacles of dominance and vengeance will cause a global backlash and destroy Hamas. —Audrey Kurth Cronin, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin basis, from Greek, step, base, from bainein to go — more at come

Verb

verbal derivative of base entry 1

Adjective (1)

Middle English bas, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin bassus fat, short, low

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1c(1)

Verb

1587, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Adjective (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Adjective (2)

1734, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing base

• base angle
• base exchange
• base pay
• base pair
• base on balls
• fan base
• cover every base
• customer base
• base price
• base runner
• tax base
• on-base percentage
• on base
• prisoner's base
• home base
• loosely base on
• extra-base hit
• get to first base
• first base
• third base
• base hit
• power base
• base of operations
• base stealer
• base unit
• second base
• base path
• air base
• zero-base
• touch base
• touch every base
• off base

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• base angle
• base exchange
• base pay
• base pair
• base on balls
• fan base
• cover every base
• customer base
• base price
• base runner
• tax base
• on-base percentage
• on base
• prisoner's base
• home base
• loosely base on
• extra-base hit
• get to first base
• first base
• third base
• base hit
• power base
• base of operations
• base stealer
• base unit
• second base
• base path
• air base
• zero-base
• touch base
• touch every base
• off base

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Kids Definition

base

1 of 3 noun

ˈbās 

plural bases ˈbā-səz 

1

a

: a thing or part on which something rests : bottom, foundation

the base of a lamp

b

: the part of a plant or animal structure by which it is attached to another more central structure

the base of the thumb

c

: one of the lines or flat surfaces of a geometric figure from which an altitude is or can be constructed

bases of a trapezoid

especially : one on which the figure stands

base of a triangle

2

: a main ingredient

paint having a water base

3

: a fundamental part : basis

4

a

: the place from which a start is made

b

: a line in a survey that is used to calculate distances or positions

c

: a place where a military force keeps its supplies or from which it starts its operations

naval base

air base

d

: a number equal to the number of units that would be equivalent to one in the next higher place in a given number system

in base 10 it takes 10 ones in the units place to equal a one in the tens place

also : a system of writing numbers using a given base

convert base 10 to base 2

e

: root entry 1 sense 5

5

a

: the starting place or goal in various games

b

: any of the four stations a runner in baseball must touch in order to score

6

: any of various compounds that react with an acid to form a salt, have a bitter taste, and turn red litmus paper blue

7

: a number that is multiplied by a rate or of which a percentage or fraction is calculated

to find the interest on $90 at 10% multiply the base 90 by .10

based adjective

baseless

ˈbās-ləs 

adjective

base

2 of 3 verb

based; basing

1

: to make, form, or serve as a base for

2

: to use as a base or basis for : establish

base

3 of 3 adjective

1

a

: being of low value and having less desirable properties when compared with something else

a base metal such as iron

b

: containing more than the usual amount of base metals

2

: not honorable or moral : mean

base conduct

basely adverb

baseness noun

Medical Definition

base

noun

ˈbās 

plural bases ˈbā-səz 

1

: that portion of a bodily organ or part by which it is attached to another more central structure of the organism

the base of the thumb

2

a

: the usually inactive ingredient of a preparation serving as the vehicle for the active medicinal preparation

the fatty base of an ointment

b

: the chief active ingredient of a preparation

called also basis

3

a

: any of various typically water-soluble and bitter tasting compounds that in solution have a pH greater than 7, are capable of reacting with an acid to form a salt, and are molecules or ions able to take up a proton from an acid or able to give up an unshared pair of electrons to an acid compare alkali

b

: any of the five purine or pyrimidine bases of DNA and RNA that include cytosine, guanine, adenine, thymine, and uracil

4

: freebase

based

ˈbāst 

adjective