fundamental measure
- noun
- /ˌfʌndəˈmɛntl ˈmɛʒər/
- Specialized
- This is the leading indicator for the level of universal service in telecommunications and a fundamental measure of the international digital divide.
Examples
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Mass is a fundamental measure used to quantify how much matter an object contains.
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Good health and health care are fundamental measures of our success as a nation.
Blog text (6) -
The internal sources for examining student outcomes entail seven fundamental measures:
Academic text (1990) -
In scientific experiments, time is often treated as a fundamental measure of the duration of events.
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Length serves as a fundamental measure in various fields, including physics and engineering.
Synonyms
A basic physical amount used to measure things, like length or mass
How Fundamental
- Specialized
- Specialized
- Specialized
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is a straightforward adjective+noun composition: 'fundamental' (basic/essential) modifies 'measure' (a quantity determined by measurement), so a learner who knows both words can infer it refers to a basic or primary quantity used as a foundation for measurement systems. Although somewhat technical, this adjectival modification is literal and cross-linguistically common, making the meaning readily derivable.
Etymology
The phrase fundamental measure paints a simple picture: fundamental is like the first stone of a house and measure is a way to check size or amount. So a fundamental measure is a 'basic' quantity, like length or time, that other units are built on.