basement

noun

base·​ment ˈbās-mənt 

1

: the part of a building that is wholly or partly below ground level

2

: the ground floor facade or interior in Renaissance architecture

3

: the lowest or fundamental part of something

specifically : the rocks underlying stratified rocks

4

chiefly New England : a toilet or washroom especially in a school

5

a

: a low state, rank, or condition

With their stock in the basement and red ink all over their balance sheet, many struggling [companies] are finding that fund-raising has become an exceedingly difficult proposition.

—Brad Stone

b

: the lowest place in the standings : cellar sense 2

Last year, the Phillies finished in the basement of the NL East with 68 wins, tied with the Cubs for the fewest wins in the league.

—Boston Herald

basementless

ˈbās-mənt-ləs 

adjective

Synonyms of basement

• cellar

Examples of basement in a Sentence

we store our bicycles in the basement during the winter

the basement of the outdoor fountain needs a lot of restoration work

Recent Examples on the Web

In the Illinois case, police discovered Barrett Walsh in the basement of the family’s home the afternoon of September 1. — Andy Rose, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2026

All public areas are accessible— step-free access is available to all levels of the building, including the basement restaurant and rooftop bar. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Sep. 2026

The tapestry had actually been taken down, rolled up and stored in the basement for the past couple of years as Paul Stuart sought to attract a younger customer. — Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 8 Sep. 2026

Prakash Chand, a resident, said laborers were in the basement carrying out digging work when the building collapsed. — ABC News, 7 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

base entry 1 or base entry 2 + -ment, probably after Italian basamento

First Known Use

1730, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing basement

• bargain basement
• basement membrane
• finished basement/attic
• sub-basement

Rhymes for basement

• abasement
• debasement
• defacement
• displacement
• effacement
• emplacement
• encasement
• misplacement
• outplacement
• replacement
• placement

Kids Definition

basement

noun

base·​ment ˈbās-mənt 

: the part of a building that is entirely or partly below ground level