base

base · noun, verb¹

1. Proto-Indo-European*gʷem-
2. Proto-Indo-European*gʷémtis
3. Proto-Hellenic*gʷə́tis
4. Ancient Greekβᾰ́σῐς (bắsĭs)
5. Latinbasis
6. Old Frenchbase
7. Middle Englishbase
8. English todaybase

From Middle English base, bas, baas, from Old French base, from Latin basis, from Ancient Greek βάσις (básis). Doublet of basis and bass.

base · adjective²

1. Proto-Indo-European*gʷem-
2. Proto-Indo-European*gʷémtis
3. Proto-Hellenic*gʷə́tis
4. Ancient Greekβάσις (básis)bor.?
5. Ancient Greekβαθύς (bathús)bor.?
6. Late Latinbassus
7. Old Frenchbas
8. Middle Englishbas
9. English todaybase

From Middle English base, bas, from Old French bas, from Late Latin bassus (“low”). Cognate with Spanish bajo, Italian basso and base.

base · noun³

Probably a specific use of Etymology 1, above; perhaps also a development of the plural of bar.

base · noun⁴

Variant forms.

Base · proper noun⁵

From base (“short”).

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 15th c. The game of prisoners' bars.