rudimentary

adjective

ru·​di·​men·​ta·​ry ˌrü-də-ˈmen-tə-rē How to pronounce rudimentary (audio)
-ˈmen-trē
1
: consisting in first principles : fundamental
had only a rudimentary formal educationD. J. Boorstin
2
: of a primitive kind
the equipment of these past empire-builders was rudimentaryA. J. Toynbee
3
: very imperfectly developed or represented only by a vestige
the rudimentary tail of a hyrax
rudimentarily adverb
rudimentariness noun

Examples of rudimentary in a Sentence

Because now, every schlemiel with a pair of mirrored sunglasses and a rudimentary grasp of the rules of poker thinks he can play cards with the pros. A. J. Jacobs, New York Times Book Review, 8 May 2005
Despite the rudimentary nature of its instruments—an octant, a chronometer and a level—the Lewis and Clark Expedition was a triumph for science and natural history. Daniel J. Boorstin, U.S. News & World Report, 11 July 1994
A few were hopeless imbeciles, unable to comprehend more than the rudimentary requirements of filling their bellies when food was placed before them … Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Monster Men, 1929
This class requires a rudimentary knowledge of human anatomy. When baseball was in its rudimentary stages, different teams played by different rules. Some insects have only rudimentary wings.
Recent Examples on the Web Advertisement Teoscar Hernández, a fellow free-agent signing in his first year with the Dodgers, was among the first to develop a bond with Ohtani, giving him rudimentary lessons in his primary language, Spanish, while Ohtani taught him some basic Japanese. Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2024 Each appears highly technical, but the machinery that animates the artwork is nothing more than sophisticated applications of rudimentary elements like lenses, mirrors and light. Jordan Riefe, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Sep. 2024 The primitive, almost rudimentary controls brought me straight back to an era before big power and traction control, refined suspension setups or even assisted steering made sports cars so impressive. Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024 Check out the new record-breaking show, complete with rudimentary motion graphics, soaring rainbow birds, thunderbolts crashing down from heaven, a wild 3D drone mothership, complete with screens on the sides, and a stunning 3D representation of the city of Shenzhen itself. New Atlas, 30 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for rudimentary 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rudimentary.' 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

see rudiment

First Known Use

1619, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of rudimentary was in 1619

Dictionary Entries Near rudimentary

Cite this Entry

“Rudimentary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rudimentary. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

rudimentary

adjective
ru·​di·​men·​ta·​ry ˌrüd-ə-ˈment-ə-rē How to pronounce rudimentary (audio)
-ˈmen-trē
1
2
: very imperfectly developed or represented only by a small part compared to the fully developed form
a rudimentary tail

Medical Definition

rudimentary

adjective
ru·​di·​men·​ta·​ry ˌrüd-ə-ˈment-ə-rē, -ˈmen-trē How to pronounce rudimentary (audio)
: very imperfectly developed or represented only by a vestige

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