fundamental

adjective

fun·da·men·tal | \ ˌfən-də-ˈmen-tᵊl

Definition of fundamental

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : serving as a basis supporting existence or determining essential structure or function : basic Responsibility is fundamental to democracy. The Constitution ensures our fundamental rights.

b : serving as an original or generating source : primary a discovery fundamental to modern computers

2a : of or relating to essential structure, function, or facts : radical fundamental change also : of or dealing with general principles rather than practical application fundamental science

b : adhering to fundamentalism a preacher who is evangelical, Bible-teaching, and fundamental

3 : of central importance : principal fundamental purpose such fundamental events as birth, marriage, and death

4 : belonging to one's innate or ingrained characteristics : deep-rooted her fundamental good humor

5 : of, relating to, or produced by the lowest component of a complex vibration (see vibration sense 1)

fundamental

noun

Definition of fundamental (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : something fundamental especially : one of the minimum constituents without which a thing or a system would not be what it is

2a : the principal musical tone produced by vibration (as of a string or column of air) on which a series of higher harmonics is based

b : the root of a chord

3 : the harmonic component of a complex wave that has the lowest frequency and commonly the greatest amplitude

Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More About fundamental

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Choose the Right Synonym for fundamental

Adjective

essential, fundamental, vital, cardinal mean so important as to be indispensable. essential implies belonging to the very nature of a thing and therefore being incapable of removal without destroying the thing itself or its character. conflict is essential in drama fundamental applies to something that is a foundation without which an entire system or complex whole would collapse. fundamental principles of algebra vital suggests something that is necessary to a thing's continued existence or operation. cut off from vital supplies cardinal suggests something on which an outcome turns or depends. a cardinal rule in buying a home

Examples of fundamental in a Sentence

Adjective The Constitution ensures our fundamental rights. There's a fundamental difference between these two political parties. These ideas are of fundamental importance. The revolution brought about a fundamental change in the country. We need to make some fundamental changes in the way we do business. We need to address these problems on a more fundamental level.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective That’s a fundamental question that mathematicians working in geometry, and the related field of topology, want to answer. — Kevin Hartnett, Wired, 20 June 2021 And on the fundamental question of whether health tracking devices are an impediment to mindfulness or an facilitator, Chopra is unequivocally in the latter camp. — Susanna Schrobsdorff, Time, 15 June 2021 That fundamental question -- about the origins of a COVID-19 pandemic that has taken nearly 4 million lives -- has sparked a political firestorm in the U.S. and threatened the already fraught ties between Washington and Beijing. — Lucien Bruggeman, ABC News, 14 June 2021 Mayor David Weiss, who also chairs the Planning Commission, said June 2 that the height and density are fundamental to the project. — Thomas Jewell, cleveland, 14 June 2021 And this is fundamental and is the bedrock of all our actions and intentions. — NBC News, 14 June 2021 That’s a fundamental question that mathematicians working in geometry, and the related field of topology, want to answer. — Quanta Magazine, 10 June 2021 Countries can set a 15% minimum tax, but that doesn’t answer a fundamental question: 15% of what? — Richard Rubin, WSJ, 8 June 2021 Nevertheless, on the fundamental question of how to approach an end to coronavirus restrictions, America and Europe have diverged. — BostonGlobe.com, 5 June 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun The program teaches students the fundamental of electricity as well as the math and sciences needed to work on power lines. — Leada Gore | Lgore@al.com, al, 6 Apr. 2021 This has always been a timeless fundamental of marketing, but so much more evident now. — Sarah Hofstetter, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2021 Called Fleming's Left Hand Rule, this fundamental of electromagnetism states that the confluence of a magnetic field and an electric current passing through a fluid will cause the fluid to be propelled in one direction. — Abe Dane, Popular Mechanics, 14 Jan. 2021 For a company of its size, that kind of a move is less a reflection of business fundamentals,... — Laura Forman, WSJ, 26 May 2020 Investors should consider making pair trades, buying the cheaper and shorting the dearer of two materials that are linked to the same economic fundamentals, the strategists wrote. — Gregor Stuart Hunter, Bloomberg.com, 12 May 2020 When at its best, Golden State expertly exhibits the fundamentals of the game, pulling from the Harlem Globetrotters and Hickory High for an up-tempo style all its own. — Connor Letourneau, SFChronicle.com, 26 Apr. 2020 Braidy wanted students to learn the fundamentals of the main systems used in manufacturing plants, such as hydraulic and motor control systems, Tackett said. — Morgan Watkins, The Courier-Journal, 23 Dec. 2019 With six teams in the coed division, ages 6-8, the focus is on learning the fundamentals and rules of the game. — Emmett Hall, sun-sentinel.com, 12 Dec. 2019

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

History and Etymology for fundamental

Adjective

Middle English, borrowed from Late Latin fundāmentālis "serving as a foundation," from Latin fundāmentum "foundation, basis" + -ālis -al entry 1 — more at fundament

Noun

derivative of fundamental entry 1

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