Rudiment

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈruːdɪmÉ™nt/

Origin

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

Full definition of rudiment

Noun

1. A fundamental principle or skill, especially in a field of learning (often in the plural).We learn the rudiments of thermodynamics next week.
• ShakespeareThis 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.
• MiltonBut I will bring thee where thou soon shalt quit
  Those rudiments, and see before thine eyes
  The monarchies of the earth.
• I. TaylorThe 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.

Hypernyms

• (biology) vestigiality

Derived terms

• rudimental
• rudimentary