rudimentary

[roo-duh-men-tuh-ree, -tree]

adjective

pertaining to rudiments or first principles; elementary: a rudimentary knowledge of geometry.

of the nature of a rudiment; undeveloped or vestigial.

primitive.

Often ru·di·men·tal [roo-duh-men-tl] /ˌru dəˈmɛn tl/.

Origin of rudimentary

First recorded in 1830–40; rudiment + -ary

Related formsru·di·men·ta·ri·ly

[roo-duh-men-tair-uh-lee, -men-ter-uh-lee] /ˌru də mɛnˈtɛər ə li, -ˈmɛn tər ə li/, adverbru·di·men·ta·ri·ness, nounnon·ru·di·men·tal, adjectivenon·ru·di·men·ta·ri·ly, adverbnon·ru·di·men·ta·ri·lyness, nounnon·ru·di·men·ta·ry, adjective

Synonyms for rudimentary

1. fundamental, initial. See elementary. 2. embryonic.

Antonyms for rudimentary

1. advanced. 2. mature.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for rudimentarily

rudimentary

less commonly rudimental

adjective

basic; fundamental; not elaborated or perfected

incompletely developed; vestigialrudimentary leaves

Derived Formsrudimentarily or rare rudimentally, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for rudimentarily

rudimentary

adj.

1827; see rudiment + -ary. Earlier was rudimental (1590s).

rudimentarily in Medicine

rudimentary

[rōō′də-mĕn′tə-rē, -mĕn′trē]

adj.

Being imperfectly or incompletely developed; embryonic.

Being in the earliest stages of development; incipient.