base
3
6.7
- noun
- /beɪs/
- Specialized
:
base léxica
- Prefixes always modify the meaning of a base word, whereas suffixes may or may not affect base words' meanings.
- base form
- a base word
- base word or root
Examples
-
The word 'moon' comes from an Old Germanic base for the word month, which itself comes from the Indo-European word for measure.
Fiction book (2001) -
We use the term base word for free morphemes, one-morpheme words that can stand on their own.
Academic text (2014) -
Next, they write the two new words to the right of each base word.
Academic text (2015) -
In a sense, their base forms are one bell and da.
-
Derived words (also known as morphologically complex words) are created by affixing a morpheme to a base word.
Academic text (2012) -
Word-building activities typically involve combining base words (or roots) with different prefixes or suffixes to create real or novel words.
Academic text (2014) -
In linguistics, the base of a word is its simplest form before any prefixes or suffixes are added.
-
Understanding the base of a word helps students form new words that have similar meanings.
-
A base word is essential because it serves as the foundation for creating various related words.
Synonyms
24
4.8
The basic form of a word from which other words are made
4
7.0
The main part of a word that other parts are added to
2
7.4
The base form of a word after removing added beginnings and endings
1
7.2
The basic form of a word before adding parts to the start or end
1
4.2
The basic form of a word after removing beginnings and endings
Idioms
Compounds
42
3.4
A place at the start of a trip for climbing or hiking where people rest and keep supplies
- Specialized
18
4.2
The total value of income, goods, or sales a government can collect money from
11
4.2
A place where people plan and start activities like a military camp or company office
10
3.3
A hit that lets the batter reach base safely, not because of an error or fielder's choice
- US
8
3.0
A white square on the field at the third corner that a runner must touch to score
- Specialized
7
3.4
A collection of information about a subject that helps people or companies find answers
- Specialized
6
3.9
Two matching chemical parts in DNA or RNA that join the two strands, for example adenine with thymine
- Jargon
2
5.9
The number of a company's products that people use now, like devices or software
- Specialized
1
5.5
An advance to first base after a batter receives four pitches outside the strike zone
- Indian
A person who manages supplies and daily tasks at a base, like transport and housing
- Specialized
A metal made mostly of copper mixed with other metals like tin or zinc
- Specialized
A balance of acids and bases in the body that keeps it working
- Specialized
The amount of acids and bases in the body that keeps fluids at the right pH
- Specialized
A chemical that changes color to show if a liquid is acidic or basic
- Specialized
A metal made mainly of nickel that resists very high heat and chemical damage
- Baby Talk
A children's game where two teams try to tag players from the other team and bring them to their base
- Specialized
A water-based paint that stays flexible, lasts a long time and resists moisture
Surface Forms
Etymology
Base in language study comes from Greek basis, 'foundation', and it means the simple form that other word forms are built on. So the base of a word is the part you add endings to or change to make new forms.