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

• 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

Since last year, most of the wintertime flower growth – mostly tulips – has happened in the basement of the Chicago Eco House, where the Blackwells want to grow nearly 30,000 bulbs per winter. —Ashley R. Williams, CNN, 31 Mar. 2024

The condensation forms only on the side of the tank that’s connected to the water line, which runs in an insulated cavity along a joist from where water comes into the basement. —Jeanne Huber, Washington Post, 29 Mar. 2024

That same day, Benton and his accomplices traveled to ADT Firearms, a tiny gun shop in Syracuse, Indiana, run out of the basement of the owner’s home. —Vernal Coleman, ProPublica, 27 Mar. 2024

And upper floors of the building are accessible only by staircase, where visitors are greeted by the stench of dirty water emanating from the basement. —Bill Lukitsch, Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2024

The Boston Globe reported that Black and White clergy members met in Roxbury for a press conference intended to be held outside, though it was instead held in the basement of the Resurrection Lutheran Church on Saturday because of rain. —Greg Wehner, Fox News, 25 Mar. 2024

Coach Rick Simmons watches over the students on a Tuesday afternoon as the team practices in the basement of Scecina. —Caroline Beck, The Indianapolis Star, 25 Mar. 2024

From gutter cleaning and preparing your fireplace for winter, to what to do if your basement floods. Contact us: Looking to buy your first home? —Michelle Brunner, Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2024

Balazs was an athlete who competed in sports like football and basketball but equally enjoyed learning how to source code from physical magazines in his parents’ basement in Ohio. —John Kell, Fortune, 13 Mar. 2024

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

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

Kids Definition

basement

noun

base·​ment ˈbās-mənt 

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