elementary
Americanadjective
-
pertaining to or dealing with elements, rudiments, or first principles.
an elementary grammar.
-
of or relating to an elementary school.
elementary teachers.
-
of the nature of an ultimate constituent; simple or uncompounded.
-
pertaining to the four elements, earth, water, air, and fire, or to the great forces of nature; elemental.
-
Chemistry. of or noting one or more elements.
adjective
-
not difficult; simple; rudimentary
-
of or concerned with the first principles of a subject; introductory or fundamental
-
maths (of a function) having the form of an algebraic, exponential, trigonometric, or a logarithmic function, or any combination of these
-
chem another word for elemental
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.
Synonym Usage
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
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.
Vocabulary lists containing elementary
Animal Farm
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Essential English Vocabulary, List 1
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
'Tis A Gift To Be Simple: Words For National Simplicity Day
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Researchers examined three types of preschool environments that children attended before entering elementary school: public school pre-K, center-based daycare programs, and home-based childcare providers participating in the Early Learning Coalition.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 28, 2026
My dad is from England, and naturally there are a number of photos of me wearing a hand-me-down West Ham United jersey to elementary school.
From Slate ● Aug. 28, 2026
In the elementary school years, their trajectories diverge.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
Your editorial also points to the “fadeout” finding from the Head Start Impact Study: early test-score gains diminished by elementary school.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026
There were hardly any other Black students at my elementary school, and besides, I had Isabella and Julia.
From "A Good Kind of Trouble" by Lisa Moore Ramée
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.
