fundamental

fundamental: fundamental adj

1 Fundamental, basic, basal, underlying, radical are comparable when they mean forming or affecting the groundwork, roots, or lowest part of something.

Fundamental is used chiefly in reference to immaterial things or to abstractions, whether they are thought of as built up on a foundation or as having their origins in roots

{
the fundamental rules of poetry
}

{
a fundamental change in his attitude to life
}

{
the fundamental rock in a geological formation
}

{
the fundamental absurdity of the plot . . . remains— FitzGerald
}

{
fatigue nor worry nor professordom could extinguish his fundamental gaiety— J. M. Brown
}

Basic is often used interchangeably with fundamental when the latter implies reference to a substructure

{
the fundamental or basic argument
}

But basic is preferred to fundamental when the reference is to a definite or concrete groundwork, bottom, or starting point

{
the basic stone of a pillar
}

{
a basic wage in the electrical industry
}

{
the distinction between basic scientific research and applied research— News Front
}

Basal differs from basic chiefly in not being used as often in reference to immaterial things and in more often implying reference to the bottom or to the lowest point or regions of a thing

{
geologizing the basal parts of the Andes— Darwin
}

{
the basal plane of a crystal
}

{
basal leaves on a stem
}

Underlying may be used to suggest nothing more than extension beneath something else

{
underlying rock strata
}

{
the underlying layer of tissue
}

However, especially when the reference is to something immaterial, the term frequently comes close to fundamental, differing from it chiefly in suggesting a depth that removes the thing from one's range of vision or a remoteness that demands study or research on the part of one who would detect it

{
the underlying motive for his act
}

{
the underlying causes of World War I
}

{
underlying differences between Communism and socialism
}

{
the social transformation now demanded of us by our underlying technical, economic and social development— Strachey
}

Radical (see also LIBERAL 2) implies reference to the root or origin or ultimate source of a thing; thus, a radical change is one that is so thoroughgoing that it affects the fundamental character of the thing involved; a radical error touches the very center and source of a thing's life

{
actual differences distinguishing the different races of mankind—differences that may be ascribed to radical peculiarities of mind— Bridges
}

Analogous words: *primary, primal, primordial, prime: *elementary, elemental

2 *essential, vital, cardinal

Analogous words: requisite, *needful, necessary, indispensable: paramount, *dominant: principal, capital, foremost, *chief

Contrasted words: *superficial: *subordinate, secondary

fundamental n *principle, axiom, law, theorem

Analogous words: *element, constituent, component, factor: ground, basis, foundation, *base, groundwork

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Synonyms:

Essential, primary, indispensable, radical, constitutional, organic, most important, principal, Leading principle, essential part, essential principle

Look at other dictionaries:

Fundamental — puede hacer referencia a: Lo relativo a los fundamentos de alguna cuestión, es decir:[1] a lo que sea su principio o parte principal (véase también origen (desambiguación), esencia, y otros términos relacionados). a lo que sea su base o cimientos … Wikipedia Español
Fundamental — may refer to: * Fundamental frequency,a concept in music or phonetics, often referred to as simply a fundamental . * Fundamentalism, the belief in, and usually the strict adherence to, the simplistic or fundamental ideas based on faith of a… … Wikipedia
Fundamental — Fun da*men tal, a. [Cf. F. fondamental.] Pertaining to the foundation or basis; serving for the foundation. Hence: Essential, as an element, principle, or law; important; original; elementary; as, a fundamental truth; a fundamental axiom. [1913… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Fundamental — Fundamental … Википедия
fundamental — I adjective basal, basic, basilar, basilary, cardinal, central, constitutional, elemental, elementary, essential, inchoative, indispensable, key, necessary, needed, organic, primary, primus, principal, principalis, required, requisite,… … Law dictionary
fundamental — FUNDAMENTÁL, Ă, fundamentali, e, adj. 1. De bază, principal, esenţial. 2. (fon.; substantivat, f.) Frecvenţă fundamentală. – Din fr. fondamental, lat. fundamentalis. Trimis de RACAI, 21.11.2003. Sursa: DEX 98 Fundamental ≠ secundar Trimis de… … Dicționar Român
fundamental — [fun΄də ment′ l] adj. [LME < ML fundamentalis < L fundamentum: see FUNDAMENT] 1. of or forming a foundation or basis; basic; essential [the fundamental rules of art] 2. relating to what is basic; radical [a fundamental alteration] 3. on… … English World dictionary
fundamental — UK US /ˌfʌndəˈmentəl/ adjective ► FINANCE, ECONOMICS used to describe the basic causes of changes in the value of shares, etc. that relate to the condition of companies and the economy: » Fundamental factors will have the most impact on currency … Financial and business terms
fundamental — adjetivo 1. Que es fundamento, o lo más importante o principal en una cosa: Lo fundamental en una situación difícil es no perder la calma. Es una cuestión fundamental. No has entendido lo fundamental, sólo has prestado atención a lo accesorio.… … Diccionario Salamanca de la Lengua Española
Fundamentāl — (v. lat.), was einer Sache zum Grunde liegt; daher Fundamentalgesetze, so v.w. Grundgesetze; Fundamentalbedingung, Grund , Hauptbedingung; Fundamentalartikel des Glaubens, Artitel, die von solchen, welche durch Christum selig werden wollen, nicht … Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

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fundamental

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