not difficult; simple; rudimentary of or concerned with the first principles of a subject; introductory or fundamental - another word for
elemental 5
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
el•e•men•ta•ry /ˌɛləˈmɛntəri/USA pronunciation
adj.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- of or relating to the simplest principles;
plain:The nurse took elementary precautions like boiling the water. - of or relating to an elementary school:elementary education.
- Physicsof the nature of the most basic particles;
that cannot be broken down.
el•e•men•ta•ry
(el′ə men′tə rē, -trē),USA pronunciation adj.
el•e•men•tar•i•ly
(el′ə men ter′ə lē),USA pronunciation adv.
el′e•men′ta•ri•ness, n.
- pertaining to or dealing with elements, rudiments, or first principles:an elementary grammar.
- of or pertaining to an elementary school:elementary teachers.
- of the nature of an ultimate constituent; simple or uncompounded.
- pertaining to the four elements, earth, water, air, and fire, or to the great forces of nature;
elemental. - Chemistryof or noting one or more elements.
- Latin elementārius. See element, -ary
- Middle French elementaire)
- late Middle English elementare (1400–50
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged Elementary, primary, rudimentary refer to what is basic and fundamental. Elementary refers to the introductory, simple, easy facts or parts of a subject that must necessarily be learned first in order to understand succeeding ones:elementary arithmetic.Primary may mean much the same as elementary;
however, it usually emphasizes the idea of what comes first even more than that of simplicity:primary steps.Rudimentary applies to what is undeveloped or imperfect:a rudimentary form of government.
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