Wiktionary

base

See also: Base, BASE, basé, and Báse

EnglishEdit

PronunciationEdit

Etymology 1Edit

From Middle English base, bas, baas, from Old French base, from Latin basis, from Ancient Greek βάσις (básis). Doublet of basis.

NounEdit

base (countable and uncountable, plural bases)

  1. Something from which other things extend; a foundation.
    1. A supporting, lower or bottom component of a structure or object.
      • 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 14, in The China Governess‎[1]:
        Nanny Broome was looking up at the outer wall. Just under the ceiling there were three lunette windows, heavily barred and blacked out in the normal way by centuries of grime. Their bases were on a level with the pavement outside, a narrow way which was several feet lower than the road behind the house.
  2. The starting point of a logical deduction or thought; basis.
  3. A permanent structure for housing military personnel and material.
  4. The place where decisions for an organization are made; headquarters.
  5. (cooking, painting, pharmacy) A basic but essential component or ingredient.
  6. A substance used as a mordant in dyeing[1].
  7. (cosmetics) Foundation: a cosmetic cream to make the face appear uniform.
  8. (chemistry) Any of a class of generally water-soluble compounds, having bitter taste, that turn red litmus blue, and react with acids to form salts.
  9. Important areas in games and sports.
    1. A safe zone in the children's games of tag and hide-and-go-seek.
    3. (baseball) One of the four places that a runner can stand without being subject to being tagged out when the ball is in play.
  10. (architecture) The lowermost part of a column, between the shaft and the pedestal or pavement.
  11. (biology, biochemistry) A nucleotide's nucleobase in the context of a DNA or RNA biopolymer.
  12. (botany) The end of a leaf, petal or similar organ where it is attached to its support.
  13. (electronics) The name of the controlling terminal of a bipolar transistor (BJT).
  14. (geometry) The lowest side of a triangle or other polygon, or the lowest face of a cone, pyramid or other polyhedron laid flat.
  15. (heraldry) The lowest third of a shield or escutcheon.
  16. (heraldry) The lower part of the field. See escutcheon.
  17. (mathematics) A number raised to the power of an exponent.
    The logarithm to base 2 of 8 is 3.
  18. (mathematics) Synonym of radix.
  19. (topology) The set of sets from which a topology is generated.
  20. (topology) A topological space, looked at in relation to one of its covering spaces, fibrations, or bundles.
  21. (group theory) A sequence of elements not jointly stabilized by any nontrivial group element.
  22. (acrobatics, cheerleading) In hand-to-hand balance, the person who supports the flyer; the person that remains in contact with the ground.
  23. (linguistics) A morpheme (or morphemes) that serves as a basic foundation on which affixes can be attached.
  24. (music) Dated form of bass.
  25. (military, historical) The smallest kind of cannon.
  26. (archaic) The housing of a horse.
  27. (historical, sometimes in the plural) A kind of skirt (often of velvet or brocade, but sometimes of mail or other armour) which hung from the middle to about the knees, or lower.
    Coordinate term: lamboys
    • 1977, Armours of Henry VIII:
      The base (skirt), as opposed to the practical skirt of the tonlet armour, is an affectation in imitation of the civilian fabric garment of the period and may well have been inspired by a similar feature on Maximilian's gift armour.
    • 2007, AHRC Research Centre for Textile Conservation and Textile Studies. Conference, Textiles and Text: Re-establishing the Links Between Archival and Object-based Research : Postprints, pages 47-49:
      Both knee-length bases are made from black velvet [...] There was a second type of metal skirt that could be worn with armour: the tonlet. [...] Unlike the base, however, the tonlet did not have a textile counterpart. [...]
  28. (obsolete) The lower part of a robe or petticoat.
  29. (obsolete) An apron.
    • 1613, John Marston, The Insatiate Countess
      bakers in their linen bases
  30. A line in a survey which, being accurately determined in length and position, serves as the origin from which to compute the distances and positions of any points or objects connected with it by a system of triangles.
  31. (politics) A group of voters who almost always support a single party's candidates for elected office.
    Synonyms: electoral base, political base
  32. (Marxism) The forces and relations of production that produce the necessities and amenities of life.
    Synonym: substructure
    Antonym: superstructure
  33. A material that holds paint or other materials together; a binder.
  34. (aviation) Short for base leg.
  35. (slang, uncountable) freebase cocaine
    • 2019 January 20, Ann Cleeves,Paul Matthew Thompson; Lawrence Gough, director, chapter 2, in Vera(Cuckoo) (9), spoken by Tyler Lennon (Louis Healy), 1:26:51 from the start:
      TYLER LENNON(played by Louis Healy): Ten grand a week we were clearing: base, white, meth, weed, anything. I can get you anything to get you high.
SynonymsEdit
  • (chemical compound that will neutralize an acid): alkali
AntonymsEdit
  • (chemical compound that will neutralize an alkali): acid
  • (end of a leaf): apex
HyponymsEdit
Derived termsEdit
TranslationsEdit
radix — see radix
bass — see bass
housing of a horse — see housing
apron — see apron
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked
See alsoEdit

Other terms used in arithmetic operations:

Advanced hyperoperations: tetration, pentation, hexation

VerbEdit

base (third-person singular simple present bases, present participle basing, simple past and past participle based)

  1. (transitive) To give as its foundation or starting point; to lay the foundation of.
    • 1992, Rudolf M[athias] Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, New York, N.Y.: Columbia University Press, →ISBN, page vii:
      Firstly, I continue to base most species treatments on personally collected material, rather than on herbarium plants.
  2. (transitive) To be located (at a particular place).
  3. (acrobatics, cheerleading) To act as a base; to be the person supporting the flyer.
    • 2005, John T. Warren; Laura B. Lengel, Casting Gender: Women and Performance in Intercultural Context, →ISBN, page 73:
      Apart from time taken out during radio- and chemotherapy, Maurs continued to participate in POW. She would base a flyer in a double balance and make the audience laugh with her clowning antics for two more shows.
  4. (slang) To freebase.
    • 1984, “8 Million Stories”, in Ego Trip, performed by Kurtis Blow ft. Run-DMC:
      You know he started to base at a hell of a pace / And now it's a disgrace, he's got the pipe in his face
Derived termsEdit
TranslationsEdit

Etymology 2Edit

From Middle English base, bas, from Old French bas, from Late Latin bassus (“low”). Cognate with Spanish bajo, Italian basso and base.

AdjectiveEdit

base (comparative baser or more base, superlative basest or most base)

  1. (obsolete) Low in height; short.
  2. Low in place or position.
  3. (obsolete) Of low value or degree.
  4. (archaic) Of low social standing or rank; vulgar, common.
    • c. 1587–1588, [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], part 1, 2nd edition, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act III, scene iii:
      UUhat meanes the mightie Turkiſh Emperor
      To talke with one ſo baſe as Tamburlaine?
    • c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii], page 285, column 2:
      Wherefore should I / Stand in the plague of custome, and permit / The curiosity of Nations, to deprive me? For that I am some twelve, or fourteen Moonshines / Lag of a Brother? Why Bastard? Wherefore base? / When my Dimensions are as well compact, My minde as generous, and my shape as true / As honest madams issue? Why brand they us / With Base? With basenes Bastardie? Base, Base?
    • 1623, Francis Bacon, De Augmentis Scientiarum
      a peasant and base swain
  5. Morally reprehensible, immoral; cowardly.
  6. (now rare) Inferior; unworthy, of poor quality.
    • 1932, Aldous Huxley, Brave New World‎[3], Chatto & Windus:
      'Like this horrible film.'
      'Horrible?' Lenina was genuinely astonished. 'But I thought it was lovely.'
      'It was base,' he said indignantly, 'it was ignoble.'
  7. (of a metal) Not considered precious or noble.
  8. Alloyed with inferior metal; debased.
    base coin
    base bullion
  9. (obsolete) Of illegitimate birth; bastard.
  10. Not classical or correct.
  11. Obsolete form of bass.
    the base tone of a violin
  12. (law) Not held by honourable service.
    A base estate is one held by services not honourable, or held by villenage. Such a tenure is called base, or low, and the tenant is a base tenant.
Usage notesEdit
  • Said of fellows, motives, occupations, etc.
SynonymsEdit
AntonymsEdit
Derived termsEdit
terms derived from base (adjective)
TranslationsEdit
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked

Etymology 3Edit

Probably a specific use of Etymology 1, above; perhaps also a development of the plural of bar.

NounEdit

base (uncountable)

  1. (now chiefly US, historical) The game of prisoners' bars. [from 15th c.]

Etymology 4Edit

Variant forms.

NounEdit

base

  1. Alternative form of BASE
Derived termsEdit

Further readingEdit

ReferencesEdit

  1. ^ 1839, Andrew Ure, A Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures, and Mines,

AnagramsEdit

AfrikaansEdit

NounEdit

base

  1. plural of baas

AsturianEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Latin basis, from Ancient Greek βάσις (básis).

NounEdit

base f (plural bases)

  1. base

Related termsEdit

BambaraEdit

NounEdit

base

  1. a bush taxi, a common type of public transit
    Synonym: duurunin

CatalanEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Latin basis, from Ancient Greek βάσις (básis).

PronunciationEdit

NounEdit

base f (plural bases)

  1. base
  2. basis
  3. grounding
  4. foundation

Derived termsEdit

Related termsEdit

Further readingEdit

CzechEdit

Etymology 1Edit

PronunciationEdit

NounEdit

base

  1. dative singular of basa
  2. locative singular of basa
  3. vocative singular of bas
  4. locative singular of bas

Etymology 2Edit

PronunciationEdit

NounEdit

base f

  1. Obsolete form of báze.
DeclensionEdit
Declension of base
singular plural
nominative base base
genitive base basí
dative basi basím
accusative basi base
vocative base base
locative basi basích
instrumental basí basemi

DanishEdit

EtymologyEdit

From French base, from Latin basis, from Ancient Greek βᾰ́σῐς (básis). Doublet of basis and also related distantly to komme.

NounEdit

base c (singular definite basen, plural indefinite baser)

  1. (chemistry) base (generally understood to be a Brønsted-Lowry base)
  2. (military) base
  3. headquarters

DeclensionEdit

Declension of base
common
gender 		Singular Plural
indefinite definite indefinite definite
nominative base basen baser baserne
genitive bases basens basers basernes

SynonymsEdit

DescendantsEdit

  • → Icelandic: basi m

DutchEdit

 
Dutch Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia nl

Alternative formsEdit

  • basis (obsolete in this sense)

EtymologyEdit

Borrowed from French base, from Latin basis. Doublet of basis. Also a distant doublet of komst, via Proto-Indo-European *gʷḿ̥tis.

PronunciationEdit

NounEdit

base f (plural basen, diminutive basetje n)

  1. (chemistry) base (class of compounds), alkali

SynonymsEdit

AntonymsEdit

Derived termsEdit

DescendantsEdit

  • → Indonesian: basa

ReferencesEdit

  • “base” in Woordenlijst Nederlandse Taal – Officiële Spelling, Nederlandse Taalunie. [the official spelling word list for the Dutch language]

FrenchEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Old French base, from Latin basis, from Ancient Greek βάσις (básis).

PronunciationEdit

NounEdit

base f (plural bases)

  1. base (bottom part of something)
  2. base (safe place)
  3. base, basis (fundamental belief)
  4. (chemistry) base

Derived termsEdit

DescendantsEdit

  • → Crimean Tatar: baza
  • → Czech: báze
  • → Danish: base
    • → Icelandic: basi m
  • Norwegian:
    • → Norwegian Bokmål: base
    • → Norwegian Nynorsk: base
  • → Romanian: bază

Further readingEdit

GalicianEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Latin basis, from Ancient Greek βάσις (básis).

NounEdit

base f (plural bases)

  1. base

Related termsEdit

ItalianEdit

 
Italian Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia it

EtymologyEdit

From Latin basis, from Ancient Greek βάσις (básis).

PronunciationEdit

  • IPA(key): /ˈba.ze/
  • Rhymes: -aze
  • Syllabification: bà‧se

NounEdit

base f (plural basi)

  1. base, alkaline
  2. basis
  3. (figurative) mainstay

AntonymsEdit

Related termsEdit

LatinEdit

NounEdit

base

  1. ablative singular of basis

Middle EnglishEdit

Etymology 1Edit

Borrowed from Old French base, from Latin basis, from Ancient Greek βᾰ́σῐς (básis), from Proto-Indo-European *gʷémtis.

Alternative formsEdit

PronunciationEdit

NounEdit

base (plural bases)

  1. A foundation or base; the bottom of a building.
  2. The foundation, base, or bottom of a column, statue, or vase.
  3. (rare) Padding inserted below a horse's bridle.
  4. (rare) A hand's palm; the section of a hand below the fingers.
  5. (rare) The bottom portion of a dress.
  6. (rare, alchemy) The mix of metals used as a base for alchemical operations.
DescendantsEdit
ReferencesEdit

Etymology 2Edit

AdjectiveEdit

base

  1. Alternative form of bas

Etymology 3Edit

NounEdit

base

  1. Alternative form of bace

MooreEdit

PronunciationEdit

VerbEdit

base

  1. to leave
  2. to cancel, stop, cease
  3. to abandon, throw away

Northern SamiEdit

PronunciationEdit

  • (Kautokeino) IPA(key): /ˈpase/

VerbEdit

base

  1. inflection of bassit:
    1. present indicative connegative
    2. second-person singular imperative
    3. imperative connegative

Norwegian BokmålEdit

 
Norwegian Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia no

EtymologyEdit

From English base, and French base (in chemistry). Ultimately from Latin basis and a doublet of basis.

NounEdit

base m (definite singular basen, indefinite plural baser, definite plural basene)

  1. (chemistry, military, general) a base

Derived termsEdit

ReferencesEdit

Norwegian NynorskEdit

 
Norwegian Nynorsk Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia nn

EtymologyEdit

From English base, and French base (in chemistry). Ultimately from Latin basis and a doublet of basis.

NounEdit

base m (definite singular basen, indefinite plural basar, definite plural basane)

  1. (chemistry, military, general) a base

Derived termsEdit

ReferencesEdit

Old FrenchEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Latin basis, from Ancient Greek βάσις (básis).

NounEdit

base f (oblique plural bases, nominative singular base, nominative plural bases)

  1. base (bottom part; supporting part)

DescendantsEdit

ReferencesEdit

  • Godefroy, Frédéric, Dictionnaire de l'ancienne langue française et de tous ses dialectes du IXe au XVe siècle (1881) (base, supplement)

PortugueseEdit

EtymologyEdit

Borrowed from Latin basis, from Ancient Greek βάσις (básis).

PronunciationEdit

 

NounEdit

base f (plural bases)

  1. basis
  2. base
  3. (chemistry) base
    Antonym: ácido
  4. groundwork

RukaiEdit

Etymology 1Edit

From Japanese バス (basu).

NounEdit

base

  1. (vehicles) bus

Etymology 2Edit

NounEdit

base

  1. broth

SpanishEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Latin basis, from Ancient Greek βάσις (básis).

PronunciationEdit

  • IPA(key): /ˈbase/ [ˈba.se]
  • Audio (Latin America)(file)
  • Rhymes: -ase
  • Syllabification: ba‧se

NounEdit

base f (plural bases)

  1. base
  2. basis
  3. (linear algebra) basis
  4. grounding
  5. (cosmetics) foundation
  6. (basketball) point guard
  7. (baseball) base

Derived termsEdit

Related termsEdit

VerbEdit

base

  1. inflection of basar:
    1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
    2. third-person singular imperative

Further readingEdit

TagalogEdit

EtymologyEdit

Borrowed from Spanish base (“basis”). The baseball definition is from English base, but pronounced the same as the Spanish word.

PronunciationEdit

  • Hyphenation: ba‧se
  • IPA(key): /ˈbase/, [ˈba.se]

NounEdit

base

  1. base; basis
    Synonyms: batayan, tuntunin, pamantayan
  2. (baseball) base

Derived termsEdit

VenetianEdit

AdjectiveEdit

base f

  1. feminine plural of baso
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