rudiment

American  

[roo-duh-muhnt] / ˈru də mənt /

noun

1. Usually rudiments.

   1. the elements or first principles of a subject.

      the rudiments of grammar.

   2. a mere beginning, first slight appearance, or undeveloped or imperfect form of something.

      the rudiments of a plan.

2. Biology. an organ or part incompletely developed in size or structure, as one in an embryonic stage, one arrested in growth, or one with no functional activity, as a vestige.

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rudiment British  

/ ˈruːdɪmənt /

noun

1. (often plural) the first principles or elementary stages of a subject

2. (often plural) a partially developed version of something

3. biology an organ or part in its earliest recognizable form, esp one in an embryonic or vestigial state

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Etymology

Origin of rudiment

1540–50; < Latin rudīmentum early training, first experience, initial stage, equivalent to rudi ( s ) unformed, rough ( rude ) + -mentum -ment ( -ī- for -i- after verbal derivatives)

Example Sentences

His work on “Peggy Sue,” is a deceptively simple use of paradiddles, a rudiment that most beginning drum students are taught to practice with a metronome.

From Washington Post • Aug. 25, 2022

It is also known as thyroid transcription factor 1 due to its expression in the pharyngeal thyroid rudiment in vertebrates.

From Nature • Nov. 17, 2015

It is also known as thyroid transcription factor 1 due to its expression in the pharyngeal thyroid rudiment in vertebrates.

From Nature • Nov. 17, 2015

As a technician who understands every rudiment in the book but never plays robotic licks, he's found himself in recent years with a contemporary jazz career closely associated with the creative German label ECM.

From The Guardian • Jan. 24, 2013

We were on page seventeen of the rudiment book, right?

From "Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie" by Jordan Sonnenblick