fundamental
Americanadjective
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serving as, or being an essential part of, a foundation or basis; basic; underlying.
fundamental principles;
the fundamental structure.
- Synonyms:
- primary, indispensable
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of, relating to, or affecting the foundation or basis.
a fundamental revision.
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being an original or primary source.
a fundamental idea.
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Music. (of a chord) having its root as its lowest note.
noun
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a basic principle, rule, law, or the like, that serves as the groundwork of a system; essential part.
to master the fundamentals of a trade.
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Also called fundamental tone. Also called fundamental note,. Music.
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the root of a chord.
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the generator of a series of harmonics.
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Physics. the component of lowest frequency in a composite wave.
adjective
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of, involving, or comprising a foundation; basic
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of, involving, or comprising a source; primary
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music denoting or relating to the principal or lowest note of a harmonic series
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of or concerned with the component of lowest frequency in a complex vibration
noun
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a principle, law, etc, that serves as the basis of an idea or system
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the principal or lowest note of a harmonic series
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the bass note of a chord in root position
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Also called: fundamental frequency. first harmonic. physics
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the component of lowest frequency in a complex vibration
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the frequency of this component
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Other Word Forms
- fundamentality noun
- fundamentally adverb
- fundamentalness noun
- nonfundamental adjective
- nonfundamentally adverb
- unfundamental adjective
- unfundamentally adverb
Etymology
Origin of fundamental
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Medieval Latin fundāmentālis “of, belonging to a foundation”; fundament, -al 1
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.
The fundamental issue is the 50-50 power split does not really work with this engine architecture and the current size of battery.
From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026
Additionally, Goldman Sachs predicts that central bank demand will remain a fundamental pillar of support, averaging about 60 metric tons monthly, once price volatility dissipates.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 2, 2026
But unless it resolves the deeper contradictions — unless it explains not just what is happening, but why it had to happen and how it will end — it will not change the fundamental dynamic.
From Salon • Apr. 1, 2026
They have also challenged the country’s fundamental selling point—that it is an oasis of peace in a rough neighborhood.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026
“That the fundamental aspects of heredity should have turned out to be so extraordinarily simple supports us in the hope that nature may, after all, be entirely approachable,” Thomas Morgan, the influential geneticist, wrote.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
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.
