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 …—
Daniel J. Boorstin
Daniel 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
Rotifers, though microscopic, possess specialized systems such as digestive tracts and rudimentary nervous structures, making their long-term survival in a frozen state particularly notable.
—Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026
His pieces include solid wood chairs with a deliberately rudimentary, almost minimal design, integrating ornamental elements such as marquetry panels or tin bas-reliefs into their backs, legs or seats.
—Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 20 Apr. 2026
Several rudimentary suggestions for fake numbers follow.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 11 Apr. 2026
Navigating that tension makes a living cell a rudimentary agent — one that senses its own internal state and the environment, and then acts upon that information.
—Amanda Gefter, Quanta Magazine, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rudimentary
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Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026
His pieces include solid wood chairs with a deliberately rudimentary, almost minimal design, integrating ornamental elements such as marquetry panels or tin bas-reliefs into their backs, legs or seats.
—Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 20 Apr. 2026
Several rudimentary suggestions for fake numbers follow.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 11 Apr. 2026
Navigating that tension makes a living cell a rudimentary agent — one that senses its own internal state and the environment, and then acts upon that information.
—Amanda Gefter, Quanta Magazine, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rudimentary
Cite this Entry
“Rudimentary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rudimentary. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
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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