rudiments

The rudiments of something are the basics of it. The equation 2 + 2 = 4 is one of the rudiments of arithmetic.

  • Pronunciation: /'ru:dimənts/
  • English description: a statement of fundamental facts or principles
  • Synonyms: basics
  • Chinese Translation:  基础(ji1 chu3)
  • Spanish Translation: fundamentos
  • ORIGIN: When you're talking about the rudiments, you're talking about the most simple elements of something. In any introductory course, you're going to learn the rudiments of a subject. For example, Psychology 101 will teach the rudiments of psychology. For very complex subjects — like nuclear physics — even the rudiments might be hard for the average person to understand. But if you don't master the rudiments first, you're not going to get very far.

EXAMPLE SENTENCE:

  • She had worked out the rudiments of language by watching television and overhearing nurses’ conversations.
  • Boucher began writing songs, performing live with a ukulele and then, as she taught herself the rudiments of electronic music, a cheap keyboard.

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