Meanings
comparative more basal · superlative most basal
- Basic, elementary; relating to, or forming, the base, or point of origin.
This is the basal idea.
2 more examples
The organism needs more energy on basal maintenance.
A basal reader is a kind of book that is used to teach reading.
- chiefly systematicsIn a phylogenetic tree, being a group, or member of a group, which diverged earlier. The earliest clade to branch in a larger clade.
A magnolia is a basal angiosperm.
1 more example
Hittite is a basal Indo-European language.
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveespecially of leaves; located at the base of a plant or stem; especially arising directly from the root or rootstock or a root-like stem
adjectiveof or being the essential or basic part
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*gʷem-
- Proto-Indo-European*gʷémtis
- Proto-Hellenic*gʷə́tis
- Ancient Greekβᾰ́σῐς (bắsĭs)
- Latinbasis
- Old Frenchbase
- Middle Englishbase
- Englishbase
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
- Englishbasal
Translations
Bulgarian основен, фундаментален
- основен (osnoven)relating to, or forming, the base, or point of origin
- фундаментален (fundamentalen)relating to, or forming, the base, or point of origin
Catalan basal
- basalrelating to, or forming, the base, or point of origin
Chinese Mandarin 基底的
- 基底的 (jīdǐ de)associated with the base of an organism or structure
Czech základní, bazální
- základnírelating to, or forming, the base, or point of origin
- bazálnírelating to, or forming, the base, or point of origin
Dutch basaal, basaal
- basaalrelating to, or forming, the base, or point of origin
- basaalof a minimal level that is necessary for maintaining the health or life of an organism
- basaalbeing a group, or member of a group, which diverged earlier
Finnish basaalinen, basaali
- basaalinenbeing a group, or member of a group, which diverged earlier
- basaalibeing a group, or member of a group, which diverged earlier
German basal
- basalassociated with the base of an organism or structure
Hungarian alapvető, alapi
- alapvetőrelating to, or forming, the base, or point of origin
- alapiassociated with the base of an organism or structure
- bazálisassociated with the base of an organism or structure
- bazálisbeing a group, or member of a group, which diverged earlier
Romanian de bază, bazal
- de bazărelating to, or forming, the base, or point of origin
- bazalrelating to, or forming, the base, or point of origin
- fundamentalrelating to, or forming, the base, or point of origin
Spanish basal
- basalrelating to, or forming, the base, or point of origin
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with basal
Anagrams
Cite this entry
basal. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/basal
“basal.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/basal. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “basal,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/basal.
Source: basal on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.