fundamental

Definitions

1. 1.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. The fundamental reasons of this war. Shak. Some fundamental antithesis in nature. Whewell. Fundamental bass (Mus.), the root note of a chord; a bass formed of the roots or fundamental tones of the chords. -- Fundamental chord (Mus.), a chord, the lowest tone of which is its root. -- Fundamental colors, red, green, and violet-blue. See Primary colors, under Color.
2. 2.A leading or primary principle, rule, law, or article, which serves as the groundwork of a system; essential part, as, the fundamentals of the Christian faith.

Source: Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).

Synonyms

Related questions

• What does "fundamental" mean?
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Reverse-dictionary questions

Definition-first questions whose answer is fundamental.

• What is a leading or primary principle, rule, law, or article, which serves as the groundwork of a system; essential part, as, the fundamentals of the Christian faith called?