basal

Etymology

From base +‎ -al.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): [ˈbeɪsəɫ]
• Rhymes: -eɪsəl, -eɪzəl

Adjective

basal (comparative more basal, superlative most basal)

1. Basic, elementary; relating to, or forming, the base, or point of origin.

   This is the basal idea.

   The organism needs more energy on basal maintenance.

   A basal reader is a kind of book that is used to teach reading.

2. (anatomy) Associated with the base of an organism or structure.

   In the spring, basal leaves emerge from a stout taproot.

3. (medicine) Of a minimal level that is necessary for maintaining the health or life of an organism.

   a basal diet

4. (chiefly systematics) In a phylogenetic tree, being a group, or member of a group, which diverged earlier. The earliest clade to branch in a larger clade.

   Hittite is a basal Indo-European language.

   A magnolia is a basal angiosperm.

Noun

basal (plural basals)

1. base, bottom, minimum
2. (anatomy) Any basal structure or part

Anagrams

• Ba'als, Baals, Baʿals, albas, baals, balas, balsa, blaas, laabs, sabal

Adjective

basal (feminine singular basale, masculine plural basaux, feminine plural basales)

1. basal

Pronunciation

• Audio

  (file)

Adjective

basal (comparative basaler, superlative am basalsten)

1. basal

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /baˈsal/

Adjective

basal (plural basales)

1. basal

Further reading

• “basal” in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014.