rudiment

Etymology

From Old French, from Latin rudimentum (“a first attempt, a beginning”), plural rudimenta (“the elements”), from rudis (“rude”); see rude.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɹuːdɪmənt/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

rudiment (plural rudiments)

1. A fundamental principle or skill, especially in a field of learning (often in the plural).

   We'll be learning the rudiments of thermodynamics next week.

   • Shakespeare

     This boy is forest-born, / And hath been tutored in the rudiments / Of many desperate studies.

2. Something in an undeveloped form (often in the plural).

   I have the rudiments of an escape plan.

   • Milton

     But I will bring thee where thou soon shalt quit / Those rudiments, and see before thine eyes / The monarchies of the earth.

   • I. Taylor

     The single leaf is the rudiment of beauty in landscape.

3. (biology) A body part that no longer has a function
4. (music) In percussion, one of a selection of basic drum patterns learned as an exercise.

Anagrams

• unmitred

Etymology

Latin rudimentum

Noun

rudiment m (plural rudiments)

1. rudiment (fundamental principle)

Etymology

Latin rudimentum

Noun

rudiment m (plural rudiments)

1. rudiment (fundamental principle)

Further reading

• “rudiment” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Etymology

From German Rudiment, from Latin rudimentum.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /rudǐment/
• Hyphenation: ru‧di‧ment

Noun

rudìment m (Cyrillic spelling рудѝмент)

1. rudiment

References

• “rudiment” in Hrvatski jezični portal