base

noun

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\ ˈbās

plural bases\ ˈbā-səz

Definition of base

(Entry 1 of 4)

1a : 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

2a : 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

3a : 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 singularefforts to expand their customer basethe band's fan baseBut 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

4a : 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.

5a : 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

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

base

verb

based; basing

Definition of base (Entry 2 of 4)

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 uponbase an opinion on faulty informationa 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

adjective (1)

Definition of base (Entry 3 of 4)

1a : 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

2a : 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

base

adjective (2)

Definition of base (Entry 4 of 4)

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

Other Words from base Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about base

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Choose the Right Synonym for base

Adjective (1)

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 the firm belief that complete trust between husband and wife is the base of any successful marriage 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

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Discord, known for its gamer-centric base, is increasingly being used for dance classes or study groups. — Lucinda Shen, Fortune, "SoftBank is back with another set of Microsoft Paint-level graphics," 18 May 2020 The vans rent for an average of about $100 per night, including camping equipment and insurance, a spokesperson told C/D. The company saw the bottom drop out of its customer base this spring when vacationers stopped coming to South Florida. — Laura Sky Brown, Car and Driver, "RV Rentals Are Popular Social-Distancing Choice as Vacation Season Arrives," 18 May 2020 Out of its base in Bethel, Grant Aviation has added service to five more destinations: Kasigiluk, Pilot Station, Mekoryuk, Mountain Village and Nunapitchuk. — Scott Mcmurren, Anchorage Daily News, "Alaska Airlines adds Cold Bay as its newest destination," 17 May 2020 Through his first three years in office, Mr. Trump has never been able to substantially grow his base of supporters, often choosing instead to simply rile up his most devoted followers. — Nick Corasaniti, New York Times, "‘Geriatric,’ ‘China’s Puppet’: Trump Campaign Unleashes Ads Attacking Biden," 15 May 2020 Still, at its base, the novel searches for a social structure that can ethically withstand both boom times and crises. — The Atlantic Culture Desk, The Atlantic, "20 Books to Read in Quarantine This Summer," 15 May 2020 Obamagate is actually the center of Trump’s entire political project of channeling his base’s various grievances. — Alex Shephard, The New Republic, "Obamagate Is the Ultimate Republican Non-Scandal," 15 May 2020 O’Connell-Olson, an executive director of a nonprofit, also schedules on-farm pickups and handles contactless deliveries to their customer base primarily in Bay View and the Crisol neighborhood on Milwaukee’s south side. — Kristine M. Kierzek, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "She grew up in the country. Eventually it called her - and her 5 children - back.," 14 May 2020 That’s further complicated as enforcement has become a political hot-button issue across Texas and the U.S. Abbott, a Republican, has repeatedly changed his guidance as his party base grows more agitated. — Sally Beauvais, ProPublica, "Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Is Cracking Down on Cities’ Enforcement of COVID-19 Orders, but Many Already Took a Lax Approach," 14 May 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Existing bans of public-sector use that are based on its present, inaccurate, and discriminatory implementations likely won't be sustainable long-term as the technology improves. — Susan Crawford, Wired, "Facial Recognition Laws Are (Literally) All Over the Map," 16 Dec. 2019 She was based out of the Houston duty station, officials said. — Michelle Iracheta, Houston Chronicle, "New details emerge in League City Thanksgiving homicide involving married border patrol officers," 16 Dec. 2019 That's based on only three Summerfest shows that were reported to Pollstar, data shows. — Piet Levy, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "In first full year, Milwaukee's Fiserv Forum is the 25th top-grossing arena for concerts in U.S.," 16 Dec. 2019 Viagogo, which is based in Switzerland, has not filed any financial records in the U.K. and its earnings are not a matter of public record. — Richard Smirke, Billboard, "UK Competition Regulator Opens Preliminary Investigation Into Viagogo-StubHub Merger," 14 Dec. 2019 New York–based Dina Litovsky has previously photographed Taipei and Barcelona for National Geographic Travel. — Dina Litovsky, National Geographic, "Here’s why you’ll fall in love with Philadelphia," 14 Dec. 2019 Note: The Enquirer staff named the football winners based on the state championship results. — James Weber, Cincinnati.com, "Enquirer announces Greater Cincinnati high school athletes of the week, Dec. 13," 13 Dec. 2019 But the first conclusions of the WHI study, on which so much antipathy to HRT is still based, were almost entirely wrong. — The Economist, "Managing menopause Millions of women are missing out on hormone replacement therapy," 12 Dec. 2019 Bernadette is what the filmmakers call a composite character, but she is clearly based on Gina Haspel, who today is the director of Trump’s CIA. — David Klion, The New Republic, "The Heavy Burden of The Report," 12 Dec. 2019 Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective Smith in April agreed to a one-year contract with the Cowboys worth up to $4 million between a $2 million base salary and $2 million in potential incentives. — Sportsday Staff, Dallas News, "Source: Dallas Cowboys DE Aldon Smith conditionally reinstated by NFL," 20 May 2020 Diacon, who has a base salary of $475,000, will take a cut of 12.5%. — Robin Goist, cleveland, "Kent State’s Board of Trustees approves employee pay cuts, buyouts to cut expenses during coronavirus pandemic," 6 May 2020 The purchase is significant given that Farley's base salary in 2019 was about $1.1 million. — Jamie L. Lareau, Detroit Free Press, "Ford COO makes second largest exec purchase of Ford stock in 10 years," 4 May 2020 According to a report, Dalton signed a one-year deal for a $3 million base salary and a contract that could be worth up to $7 million. — oregonlive, "NFL 2020 news and rumors: Dallas Cowboys sign QB Andy Dalton," 4 May 2020 The deal is contingent upon Gronkowski passing a physical, according to his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, who said Gronkowski will play under the terms of his existing contract, which is a base salary of $9 million. — Jim Mcbride, BostonGlobe.com, "Patriots agree to trade retired Rob Gronkowski to Buccaneers to reunite with Tom Brady," 21 Apr. 2020 The chief executive makes a base salary of nearly $486,000. — Randy Diamond, ExpressNews.com, "CPS Energy cancels $13 million in bonuses amid virus crisis," 10 Apr. 2020 Because real estate agents do not have a base salary -- the majority of real estate agents rely solely on commissions -- the fall in sales has an even greater impact on their incomes. — R.a. Schuetz, Houston Chronicle, "Redfin furloughs 41 percent of real estate agents," 7 Apr. 2020 Kirby's base salary comprised 16% of his total compensation. — Clare Duffy, CNN, "Why CEOs are giving up their salaries during the coronavirus crisis," 26 Mar. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'base.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

22 May 2020

Cite this Entry

“Base.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/base. Accessed 3 Jun. 2020.

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More Definitions for base

base

noun

English Language Learners Definition of base

(Entry 1 of 2)

: the bottom or lowest part of something : the part on which something rests or is supported

: something (such as a group of people or things) that provides support for a place, business, etc.

: a main ingredient to which other things are added to make something

base

verb

English Language Learners Definition of base (Entry 2 of 2)

: to have a particular place as the main place where a person works or lives or where a business operates

See the full definition for base in the English Language Learners Dictionary

base

noun

\ ˈbās

Kids Definition of base

(Entry 1 of 3)

1 : a thing or a part on which something rests : bottom, foundation the base of a statue the base of the mountain

2 : a starting place or goal in various games

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

4 : the main place or starting place of an action or operation The company's base is in New York.

5 : a place where a military force keeps its supplies or from which it starts its operations an air force base

6 : a line or surface of a geometric figure upon which an altitude is or is thought to be constructed base of a triangle

7 : the main substance in a mixture

8 : a number with reference to which a system of numbers is constructed

9 : a chemical substance (as lime or ammonia) that reacts with an acid to form a salt and turns red litmus paper blue

base

verb

based; basing

Kids Definition of base (Entry 2 of 3)

: to use as a main place of operation or action The company is based in Ohio.

base on or base upon

: to make or form from a starting point It's based on a true story.

base

adjective

baser; basest

Kids Definition of base (Entry 3 of 3)

1 : of low value and not very good in some ways base metals

2 : not honorable “I'll appeal to his baser instincts, of which he has plenty.”— E. B. White, Charlotte's Web

base

noun

\ ˈbās

plural bases\ ˈbā-səz

Medical Definition of base

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

2a : 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

3a : 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 are substances 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

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