fundamental

1 of 2

adjective

fun·​da·​men·​tal ˌfən-də-ˈmen-tᵊl How to pronounce fundamental (audio)
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
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 at a fundamental level, the episode is also a debate over what exactly transpired. Matt Hamilton, Los Angeles Times, 26 Nov. 2023 While the technology industry is working to deliver quantum advantage in products and services in the near term, academic research remains focused on investigating the fundamental principles underpinning this new science and technology. Daniel Lidar, Discover Magazine, 23 Nov. 2023 And while sinks are a fundamental bath fixture, vessels offer opportunities for adding color and design elements to the space. Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Nov. 2023 Israelis are united as rarely before on a fundamental belief: Any conclusion to the war that leaves Hamas in charge of Gaza would be intolerable. William A. Galston, WSJ, 21 Nov. 2023 My dad’s murder was as fundamental and as unknowable as my own birth. Eren Orbey, The New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2023 Managing disagreements Both sides acknowledged that China and the U.S. have fundamental differences, including their approaches to Taiwan, a top priority issue for Beijing. Ann Scott Tyson, The Christian Science Monitor, 16 Nov. 2023 Still, the movie may well send audiences back to their history books for an explanation of something so fundamental as why the French dictator is warmongering at all. Peter Debruge, Variety, 15 Nov. 2023 That push could change the way WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, and Threads interact in even more fundamental ways. David Pierce, The Verge, 14 Nov. 2023
Noun
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 Still, there are many fundamentals startups might follow to make a product update as smooth as possible. Christian Wiklund, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023 Most of them turn on big fundamentals of economics and people's sense of the world. Robert Costa, CBS News, 5 Nov. 2023 But current refining methods, which extract useful metals from dirt, depend on fundamentals like gravity, Lange says. WIRED, 20 Oct. 2023 The Sox, who were seemingly in the playoff hunt until they were swept by the Astros at Fenway at the end of last month, have some talent but lack fundamentals. Julian McWilliams, BostonGlobe.com, 14 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fundamental.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of fundamental was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near fundamental

Cite this Entry

“Fundamental.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fundamental. Accessed 1 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

fundamental

1 of 2 adjective
fun·​da·​men·​tal ˌfən-də-ˈment-ᵊl How to pronounce fundamental (audio)
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 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 How to pronounce fundamental (audio)
: the principal musical tone produced by vibration (as of a string or column of air) on which a series of higher overtones is based

More from Merriam-Webster on fundamental

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