basal

adjective

bas·​al ˈbā-səl How to pronounce basal (audio) -zəl How to pronounce basal (audio)
1
a
: relating to, situated at, or forming the base
b
: arising from the base of a stem
basal leaves
2
a
: of or relating to the foundation, base, or essence : fundamental
b
: of, relating to, or being essential for maintaining the fundamental vital activities of an organism : minimal
a basal diet
c
: used for teaching beginners
basal readers
basally adverb

Examples of basal in a Sentence

many students lacked even a basal familiarity with the topic
Recent Examples on the Web There is a part of the brain called the basal ganglia that in both songbirds and humans is being used for learning, including learning how to imitate sounds. Nicholas Stfleur, STAT, 15 Mar. 2024 Your performance is now smooth and accurate, and your brain’s main activity has switched to the basal ganglia, the region involved with automatic functioning. Melanie Radzicki McManus, CNN, 21 June 2023 Low-level technologies such as biochar—created by burning wood in very low oxygen—alongside basal rocks, which absorb CO2 over thousands of years, make good fertilizer that locks carbon in. Stephen Armstrong, WIRED, 21 Feb. 2024 Cut your stems at a 45-degree angle to expose as much basal area as possible. Paul Cappiello, The Courier-Journal, 9 Feb. 2024 For Adelaide's Lyon, recognizing that kinship is the real promise of basal cognition. Rowan Jacobsen, Scientific American, 21 Sep. 2020 And for the philosophically minded, basal cognition casts the world in a sparkling new light. Rowan Jacobsen, Scientific American, 21 Sep. 2020 The 'basal' component was comprised of as negatively deflected slow waves. Discover Magazine, 19 Nov. 2019 This is known as basal insulin and is needed for baseline regulation of blood sugar. Ivan Paul, Ars Technica, 27 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'basal.' 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

circa 1645, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of basal was circa 1645

Dictionary Entries Near basal

Cite this Entry

“Basal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/basal. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

basal

adjective
bas·​al ˈbā-səl How to pronounce basal (audio) -zəl How to pronounce basal (audio)
: relating to, located at, or forming a base
basally
-sə-lē
-zə-lē
adverb

Medical Definition

basal

adjective
ba·​sal ˈbā-səl How to pronounce basal (audio) -zəl How to pronounce basal (audio)
1
: relating to, situated at, or forming the base
2
: of, relating to, or essential for maintaining the fundamental vital activities of an organism (as respiration, heartbeat, or excretion)
a basal diet
see basal metabolism
3
: serving as or serving to induce an initial comatose or unconscious state that forms a basis for further anesthetization
basal narcosis
a basal anesthetic
basally adverb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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