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building block
noun
: a unit of construction or composition
especially
: something essential on which a larger entity is based
Synonyms
Examples of building block in a Sentence
historically the infantry division has been a basic building block of armies
Recent Examples on the Web
Each sun has its own story and together this tapestry becomes the fundamental building blocks of our design.
—Jane Pauley, CBS News, 19 May 2024
The basic building block of superconducting logic and memory is the Josephson junction.
—Anna Herr, IEEE Spectrum, 15 May 2024
Rather than taking a test, teachers observe them playing in the classroom — doing puzzles, coloring, building blocks, caring for a teddy bear — and asks their families to offer their own feedback.
—Jenny Gold, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2024
What might be lost as handwriting wanes The clearest consequence of screens and keyboards replacing pen and paper might be on kids' ability to learn the building blocks of literacy — letters.
—Jonathan Lambert, NPR, 11 May 2024
When storytime is done, use the books like building blocks and put them in and out of their convenient and portable cardboard carrying case.
—Maya Polton, Parents, 11 May 2024
During the Bronze Age, many fundamental building blocks of society arose, such as writing systems, centralized governments, and medicine.
—Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 10 May 2024
Protein's primary job is to supply amino acids—the building blocks of protein—for the ongoing maintenance, repair, and healing of protein tissues in the body.
—Cynthia Sass, Mph, Health, 9 May 2024
Proteins are the building blocks of life and their interactions with one another and with other molecules are the mechanism through which life’s processes happen.
—Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 8 May 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'building block.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1756, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near building block
Cite this Entry
“Building block.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/building%20block. Accessed 28 May. 2024.
Kids Definition
building block
noun
: a unit of construction or composition
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