fundamental

/,fʌndə'mentl/

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The word "fundamental" is an adjective that means something is basic, essential, or very important. It refers to the core principles or ideas that are necessary for understanding a topic or situation.

Usage Instructions:

• "Fundamental" is often used to describe concepts, rules, or changes that are crucial to a subject or system. It can also refer to something that is foundational or necessary for something else to exist or function.

Examples:

1. Basic Definition: "Learning to read and write is fundamental to a child’s education." (This means that reading and writing are essential skills for education.)
2. Advanced Usage: "The fundamental laws of physics govern how everything in the universe behaves." (Here, it indicates that these laws are essential for understanding the universe.)

Word Variants:

• Noun: "Fundamentals" refers to the basic principles or concepts of a subject. For example, "Understanding the fundamentals of math is important for solving complex problems."
• Adverb: "Fundamentally" means in a basic or essential way. For example, "Fundamentally, all living things need water to survive."

Different Meanings:

1. Basic Principles: In education, it refers to essential knowledge necessary for further learning.
2. Lowest Tone: In music, "fundamental" can refer to the lowest frequency in a harmonic series, which is the base tone of a sound.

Synonyms:

• Essential
• Basic
• Primary
• Core
• Integral

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

• While "fundamental" does not have specific idioms or phrasal verbs directly associated with it, you might hear phrases like:
  • "At the core of" (meaning at the fundamental or most important part of something).
  • "Get to the root of" (meaning to find the fundamental cause of a problem).

Summary:

In essence, "fundamental" is about what is essential and necessary for understanding or building upon a concept.

Academic

Adjective

1. far-reaching and thoroughgoing in effect especially on the nature of something
   • the fundamental revolution in human values that has occurred
   • the book underwent fundamental changes
   • committed the fundamental error of confusing spending with extravagance
   • profound social changes
2. being or involving basic facts or principles
   • the fundamental laws of the universe
   • a fundamental incomatibility between them
   • these rudimentary truths
   • underlying principles
3. serving as an essential component
   • a cardinal rule
   • the central cause of the problem
   • an example that was fundamental to the argument
   • computers are fundamental to modern industrial structure

Noun

1. the lowest tone of a harmonic series
2. any factor that could be considered important to the understanding of a particular business
   • fundamentals include a company's growth, revenues, earnings, management, and capital structure

Synonyms

• profound
• rudimentary
• underlying
• cardinal
• central
• key
• primal
• fundamental frequency
• first harmonic