rudimentary
adjective
ru·di·men·ta·ry
ˌrü-də-ˈmen-tə-rē 
-ˈmen-trē
1
: consisting in first principles : fundamental
had only a rudimentary formal education—
D. J. Boorstin
D. J. Boorstin2
: of a primitive kind
the equipment of these past empire-builders was rudimentary—A. J. Toynbee
A. J. Toynbee3
: very imperfectly developed or represented only by a vestige
the rudimentary tail of a hyrax
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.
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
Perry’s boxing skills were far too rudimentary for Paul and he was stopped in the sixth round.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
Though being able to identify and pursue targets can make even a rudimentary swarm more dangerous, the ability to soak up the defender’s data, share that information with other drones and adjust based on what’s happening on the battlefield is far more lethal.
—Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 16 June 2025
Its fuselage and wings were made of stiff Irish linen over a framework of wood spars and steel tubing, and its navigational instruments, by modern standards, were rudimentary: two compasses, an air-speed indicator, and an aneroid barometer.
—David Rooney
june 5, Literary Hub, 5 June 2025
Although contemporary smart assistants such as Alexa or Google Assistant can manage rudimentary household commands—like turning on lights or checking the weather—agentic AI signifies a profound shift.
—Sandeep Shivam, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for rudimentary
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Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
Though being able to identify and pursue targets can make even a rudimentary swarm more dangerous, the ability to soak up the defender’s data, share that information with other drones and adjust based on what’s happening on the battlefield is far more lethal.
—Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 16 June 2025
Its fuselage and wings were made of stiff Irish linen over a framework of wood spars and steel tubing, and its navigational instruments, by modern standards, were rudimentary: two compasses, an air-speed indicator, and an aneroid barometer.
—David Rooney
june 5, Literary Hub, 5 June 2025
Although contemporary smart assistants such as Alexa or Google Assistant can manage rudimentary household commands—like turning on lights or checking the weather—agentic AI signifies a profound shift.
—Sandeep Shivam, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for rudimentary
Cite this Entry
“Rudimentary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rudimentary. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
rudimentary
adjective
ru·di·men·ta·ry
ˌrüd-ə-ˈment-ə-rē
-ˈmen-trē
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
: very imperfectly developed or represented only by a vestige
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