elementary

American  

[el-uh-men-tuh-ree, -tree] / ˌɛl əˈmɛn tə ri, -tri /

adjective

1. pertaining to or dealing with elements, rudiments, or first principles.

   an elementary grammar.

2. of or relating to an elementary school.

   elementary teachers.

3. of the nature of an ultimate constituent; simple or uncompounded.

4. pertaining to the four elements, earth, water, air, and fire, or to the great forces of nature; elemental.

5. Chemistry. of or noting one or more elements.

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elementary British  

/ -trɪ, ˌɛlɪˈmɛntərɪ /

adjective

1. not difficult; simple; rudimentary

2. of or concerned with the first principles of a subject; introductory or fundamental

3. maths (of a function) having the form of an algebraic, exponential, trigonometric, or a logarithmic function, or any combination of these

4. chem another word for elemental

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Usage

What does elementary mean? Elementary describes the basics or beginning steps of something. Elementary lessons in soccer, for example, might include how to dribble the ball. The most common use of elementary in the US is in the phrase elementary school, the first few years of schooling, when the basics of reading, math, and other important subjects are taught. An elementary teacher is someone who teaches in elementary school and an elementary math book is a book with math lessons aimed at elementary schoolchildren. Elementary can also be used in the context of chemical elements, which are a class of substances that cannot be broken down into simpler substances. In older scientific studies and belief systems, the Earth was believed to be elementarily comprised of four elements: earth, fire, water, and air. Related to that, something that is elementary is simple or uncompounded. Example: Times tables are simply elementary, so I do not need a calculator.

Related Words

Elementary, primary, rudimentary refer to what is basic and fundamental. Elementary refers to the introductory, simple, easy facts or parts of a subject that must necessarily be learned first in order to understand succeeding ones: elementary arithmetic. Primary may mean much the same as elementary; however, it usually emphasizes the idea of what comes first even more than that of simplicity: primary steps. Rudimentary applies to what is undeveloped or imperfect: a rudimentary form of government.

Other Word Forms

• elementarily adverb
• elementariness noun
• nonelementary adjective
• postelementary adjective
• preelementary adjective
• quasi-elementary adjective
• superelementary adjective
• transelementary adjective
• unelementary adjective

Etymology

Origin of elementary

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English elementare (from Middle French elementaire ), from Latin elementārius. See element, -ary

Explanation

Things that are elementary are simple or not very advanced, as in elementary school or Sherlock Holmes' famous line, "Elementary, my dear Watson!" Remember elementary school? That's an earlier, less advanced type of school than middle and high school. Things that are elementary are simpler — easy enough for a first grader to handle. A puzzle that's a snap to solve could be called elementary. We can also say that something is elementary when it's a basic building block of something else: a good breakfast is elementary to healthy nutrition, for example.

Example Sentences

A nearby elementary school was closed as a precaution on Thursday after the wolf remained at large, and authorities have urged residents to take care and report any sightings.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

He skipped spring training his first two minor league seasons to complete his classes at Washburn and graduated in 1969 with a degree in elementary education.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

I attended a public elementary school in a small mill town in western Pennsylvania, and we had what we called “retention drills,” perhaps to make it sound less frightening.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

They decided 8-year-old Briana should stay at the same elementary school, to keep her with her friends and teacher.

From Salon • Mar. 24, 2026

There was a theater for performances and a Sabil-Kuttab, which Frankie explained was used both as a communal water source and an elementary school similar to our cheders.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros

Related Words

• elemental
• fundamental
• rudimentary
• straightforward
• underlying