basal
UK [ˈbeɪsəɫ] · US [ˈbeɪzəɫ] adjective, noun
Forms basals
- adjective Basic, elementary; relating to, or forming, the base, or point of origin. “This is the basal idea.”
- adjective (anatomy) Associated with the base of an organism or structure. “In the spring, basal leaves emerge from a stout taproot.”
- adjective (medicine) Of a minimal level that is necessary for maintaining the health or life of an organism. “a basal diet”
- adjective (chiefly systematics) In a phylogenetic tree, being a group, or member of a group, which diverged earlier. The earliest clade to branch in a larger clade. “Hittite is a basal Indo-European language.”
- noun base, bottom, minimum
- noun (anatomy) Any basal structure or part
Synonyms
Webster’s 1913
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “basal”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details