fundamental

1 of 2

adjective

fun·​da·​men·​tal ˌfən-də-ˈmen-tᵊl 

1

a

: 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

2

a

: 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

2 of 2

noun

1

: something fundamental

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

2

a

: 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

Adjective

• abecedarian
• basal
• basic
• beginning
• elemental
• elementary
• essential
• introductory
• meat-and-potatoes
• rudimental
• rudimentary
• underlying

Noun

• ABC(s)
• alphabet
• basics
• elements
• essentials
• grammar
• principles
• rudiments

Choose the Right Synonym for fundamental

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.

See More

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

But the fundamental forces – the action forces – are different, so their accelerations are naturally different, too. —Larry M. Silverberg, Discover Magazine, 8 Dec. 2023

The videos highlight a fundamental vulnerability with Cameo, where celebrities often can rack up thousands of dollars in a few hours recording videos for fans. —Kevin Collier, NBC News, 7 Dec. 2023

Safety, transparency, and innovation are considered fundamental to its approach. —Troy Aidan Sambajon, The Christian Science Monitor, 6 Dec. 2023

This was Lear’s gift, his remarkable ability to embrace a conflict without abandoning a fundamental optimism about what that conflict could create. —Vulture, 6 Dec. 2023

The project presents delicate, fundamental and relevant issues in a truly strong and powerful way. —Callum McLennan, Variety, 30 Nov. 2023

But the larger question remains: Would his departure lead to a fundamental change in the direction of Israeli politics or policy? —Dahlia Scheindlin, Foreign Affairs, 29 Nov. 2023

Client outreach is a fundamental part of any KYC process. —Alex Ross, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2023

The vast majority of those Palestinians don’t have basic civil rights, and Israel has no intention of resolving that fundamental issue, and instead seeks to make minor adjustments to its system of control in order to make the burden of that occupation and oppression lighter. —Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 28 Nov. 2023

Noun

Logistics providers, businesses who utilize them, and the end-users and consumers who buy products and services from those businesses, must adjust to the new regime of market dynamics that characterizes the fundamentals of today’s global economy. —Harry G. Broadman, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023

Armed with an understanding of the fundamentals, students will also be able to explore the legal and regulatory frameworks of the business. —Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 10 Nov. 2023

Practices were dominated by numbing, humbling fundamentals. —Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Oct. 2023

The comprehensive Distribution Automation path teaches the fundamentals of the existing power distribution system, how to automate the system, and ways to add advanced functionalities. —Taraja Arnold, IEEE Spectrum, 21 Sep. 2023

Immerse yourself in courses on AI fundamentals and applications. —William Arruda, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2023

Reflecting on the dissonance between many of the economy’s fundamentals and consumers’ sour outlook, Richardson was circumspect. —Christine Romans, NBC News, 8 Nov. 2023

Jim Schweitzer Brea :: Lincoln Riley’s teams at USC lack toughness and discipline, struggle with fundamentals, and fail to execute in all three phases. —Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2023

Still, Musk’s wealth is up by more than $70 billion in 2023 alongside a rebound in Tesla shares despite the deteriorating fundamentals. —Jordan Fitzgerald, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2023

See More

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Noun

1617, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing fundamental

• fundamental group
• fundamental law
• fundamental particle

• fundamental group
• fundamental law
• fundamental particle

Kids Definition

fundamental

1 of 2 adjective

fun·​da·​men·​tal ˌfən-də-ˈment-ᵊl 

1

: being or forming a foundation : basic, essential

a discovery fundamental to modern science

our fundamental rights

2

: of or relating to essential structure or function : radical

fundamental change

3

: of, relating to, or produced by the lowest part of a complex vibration

4

: of central importance : principal

fundamental purpose

fundamentally

-ᵊl-ē 

adverb

fundamental

2 of 2 noun

1

: something fundamental : a basic part

fundamentals of arithmetic

2

: the part of a complex wave that has the lowest frequency and commonly the greatest amplitude

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English fundamental "serving as a base or source of support," from Latin fundamentalis "of a foundation," from fundamentum "foundation," derived from fundus "bottom, base" — related to found entry 2, fund

Medical Definition

fundamental

noun

fun·​da·​men·​tal ˌfən-də-ˈment-ᵊl 

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