basis
Americannoun
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bases
plural
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the bottom or base of anything; the part on which something stands or rests.
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anything upon which something is based; fundamental principle; groundwork.
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the principal constituent; fundamental ingredient.
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a basic fact, amount, standard, etc., used in making computations, reaching conclusions, or the like.
The nurse is paid on an hourly basis. He was chosen on the basis of his college grades.
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Mathematics. a set of linearly independent elements of a given vector space having the property that every element of the space can be written as a linear combination of the elements of the set.
noun
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something that underlies, supports, or is essential to something else, esp an abstract idea
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a principle on which something depends or from which something has issued
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maths (of a vector space) a maximal set of linearly independent vectors, in terms of which all the elements of the space are uniquely expressible, and the number of which is the dimension of the space
the vectors x, y and z form a basis of the 3-dimensional space all members of which can be written as ax + by + cz
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bases
plural
Usage
Plural word for basis The plural form of basis is bases, pronounced [ bey-seez ]. The plurals of several other singular words that end in -is are also formed in this way, including hypothesis/hypotheses, crisis/crises, and axis/axes. A similar change is made when pluralizing appendix as appendices. Irregular plurals that are formed like bases derive directly from their original pluralization in Latin and Greek.
Synonym Usage
See base 1.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of basis
First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin, from Greek básis “step, place one stands on, pedestal,” from ba(ínein) “to walk, step” ( see also come) + -sis -sis; cf. base 1
Explanation
Basis is the underlying reason or assumption. The basis of a dictionary is that people are curious to learn the meanings of new words. You are interested, right? Basis can also apply to a system or pattern that has been established. For example: Since your job is so exhausting, you need vacations on a regular basis. The basis of democracy is regular free elections. Not surprisingly, as its sense of something from which other things spring, basis comes from the Latin word of the same spelling meaning "foundation."
Vocabulary lists containing basis
PARCC: Language of the Test (Grade 11)
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"Democracy in America, Vol. 1" by Alexis de Tocqueville, Introduction–Chapter 5
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Words for Cheese Writers
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Nicklin rejected requests by Harry and the other celebrities to pay on a standard basis, instead favouring arguments by ANL that its costs should be repaid on a stricter so-called indemnity basis.
From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026
Returning on a longer term basis has reignited questions over the level of the couple's publicly funded security in Britain.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
The Philippines central bank is widely expected to raise its policy rate by 25 basis points to 5.00% on Thursday to curb rising inflation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
Ricky Roman grew up going to SeaWorld and now takes his two children to the park on a weekly basis.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
The epithelial cells have the ability to constrict to change the absorption of light, controlling the subject’s color and texture on a cell-by-bell basis.
From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste
Your kid is no longer striking out with the bases loaded.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
This is a player who inherited the Tugboat moniker in his youth because he supposedly looked like a small, seafaring vessel while lumbering around the bases.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
After a trio of one-out singles from Teoscar Hernández, Alex Call and Hunter Feduccia, Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman each came up with the bases loaded.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026
Then Díaz walked David Hamilton to load the bases.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026
Two of the hives crashed off their bases and fell into the road, one of them striking Mac Pettus on the leg.
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
