Definition of 'elementary'
adjective
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
British English pronunciation
American English pronunciation
You may also like
Word Frequency
elementary in American English
adjective
1.
2.
a.
of first principles, rudiments, or fundamentals; introductory; basic; simple
b.
of or having to do with the formal instruction of children in basic subjects
elementary education
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
elementariness (ˌeleˈmentariness)
noun
Word origin
ME elementare < L elementariusWord Frequency
elementary in American English
(ˌeləˈmentəri, -tri)
adjective
SYNONYMS 1. elementary, primary, rudimentary refer to what is basic and fundamental. elementary refers to the introductory, simple, easy facts or parts of a subject that must necessarily
be learned first in order to understand succeeding ones: elementary arithmetic. primary may mean much the same as elementary; however, it usually emphasizes the idea of what comes first even more than that
of simplicity: primary steps. rudimentary applies to what is undeveloped or imperfect: a rudimentary form of government. 2.
of or pertaining to an elementary school
elementary teachers
3.
4.
5. Chemistry
of or noting one or more elements
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Derived forms
elementarily (ˌeləmenˈterəli) adverb
elementariness
noun
Word Frequency
elementary in British English
adjective
1.
2.
3. mathematics
(of a function) having the form of an algebraic, exponential, trigonometric, or a logarithmic function, or any combination of these
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms
elementarily (ˌeleˈmentarily) adverb
elementariness (ˌeleˈmentariness)
noun
Examples of 'elementary' in a sentence
elementary
These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content that does not reflect the opinions or policies of Collins, or its parent company HarperCollins.
We welcome feedback: report an example sentence to the Collins team. Read more…
Trends of
elementary
View usage over:
Source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
In other languages
elementary
British English: elementary
ADJECTIVE /ˌɛlɪˈmɛntərɪ/
Something that is elementary is very simple and basic.
...elementary computer skills.
- American English: elementary /ɛlɪˈmɛntəri, -tri/
- Brazilian Portuguese: elementar
- Chinese: 基本的
- European Spanish: elemental
- French: élémentaire
- German: grundlegend
- Italian: elementare
- Japanese: 初歩的な
- Korean: 기본의
- European Portuguese: elementar
- Spanish: elemental
- Thai: ขั้นพื้นฐาน, ขั้นต้น, ประถม
Browse alphabetically
elementary
Related terms of
elementary
Source
Definition of elementary from the Collins English Dictionary
Read about the team of authors behind Collins Dictionaries.
Quick word challenge
Quiz Review
Question: 1
-
Score: 0 / 5
oar
or
ore?
Drag the correct answer into the box.
oar
ore
He was using the other as a rudder.
hour
or
our?
Which version is correct?
place
or
plaice?
Which version is correct?
hair
or
hare?
Drag the correct answer into the box.
hair
hare
I have short black .
him
or
hymn?
Drag the correct answer into the box.
him
hymn
On his arrival, Elaine met at the bus station.
Your score:
Word of the day
cantatrice
a female singer , esp a professional soloist
Latest Word Submissions
Intellectiquette
May 06, 2024
Diaper Donny
May 06, 2024
Printerager
May 05, 2024
malinformation
May 04, 2024
Study guides for every stage of your learning journey
Whether you're in search of a crossword puzzle, a detailed guide to tying knots, or tips on writing the perfect college essay, Harper Reference has you covered for all your study needs.
Read more
Updating our Usage
There are many diverse influences on the way that English is used across the world today. We look at some of the ways in which the language is changing. Read our series of blogs to find out more.
Read more
Area 51, Starship, and Harvest Moon: September’s Words in the News
I’m sure a lot of people would agree that we live in strange times. But do they have to be so strange that Area 51 is making headlines? And what’s this about fish the look like aliens. September’s Words in the News explain all.
Read more
Collins English Dictionary Apps
Download our English Dictionary apps - available for both iOS and Android.
Read more
Collins Dictionaries for Schools
Our new online dictionaries for schools provide a safe and appropriate environment for children. And best of all it's ad free, so sign up now and start using at home or in the classroom.
Read more
Word lists
We have almost 200 lists of words from topics as varied as types of butterflies, jackets, currencies, vegetables and knots!
Amaze your friends with your new-found knowledge!
Read more
Quick word challenge
Quiz Review
Question: 1
-
Score: 0 / 5
Your score:
New collocations added to dictionary
Collocations are words that are often used together and are brilliant at providing natural sounding language for your speech and writing.
Read more
Study guides for every stage of your learning journey
Whether you're in search of a crossword puzzle, a detailed guide to tying knots, or tips on writing the perfect college essay, Harper Reference has you covered for all your study needs.
Read more
Updating our Usage
There are many diverse influences on the way that English is used across the world today. We look at some of the ways in which the language is changing. Read our series of blogs to find out more.
Read more
Area 51, Starship, and Harvest Moon: September’s Words in the News
I’m sure a lot of people would agree that we live in strange times. But do they have to be so strange that Area 51 is making headlines? And what’s this about fish the look like aliens. September’s Words in the News explain all.
Read more
Learning English: Days of the week
Learn how to discuss what happens on different days of the week, whether you want to make plans for the day or talk about weekly routines.
Read more
Learning English: Going shopping
Discover some useful English expressions to use while you're out at the shops in this week's Learning English blog.
Read more
Sting-Nettle Day
We're taking a closer look at the intriguing expressions and customs that have grown up around one of the most versatile plants out there - the stinging nettle.
Read more
Learning English: Saying goodbye
Learn informal ways to say goodbye in British English - from 'Goodbye' to 'See ya!' with examples and tips for everyday use.
Read more
Collins English Dictionary Apps
Download our English Dictionary apps - available for both iOS and Android.
Read more
Collins Dictionaries for Schools
Our new online dictionaries for schools provide a safe and appropriate environment for children. And best of all it's ad free, so sign up now and start using at home or in the classroom.
Read more
Word lists
We have almost 200 lists of words from topics as varied as types of butterflies, jackets, currencies, vegetables and knots!
Amaze your friends with your new-found knowledge!
Read more