basic

Everyday

1. Basic means simple and the most important, the first part that everything else is built on: basic facts, basic skills. tree →
2. Basic means plain, without extras: a basic phone, a basic room. tree →
3. Basic needs are things everyone must have to live, like food, water, shelter and safety. tree →
4. In chemistry, basic means alkaline, the opposite of acidic. tree →

In the lessons

In maths, «basic facts» are simple sums and times tables you know by heart; you learn the basics before hard problems. In citizenship and science lessons, living things have basic needs. In everyday life, a basic version of a product has fewer features. Phrases: «the basics», «basic needs», «basic skills», «back to basics», «basic first aid».

Examples

• Learn the basic facts first: 6 × 7 = 42. tree →
• Food, water and shelter are basic needs. tree →
• We learned the basics of first aid. tree →
• The cabin was very basic, with no electricity. tree →
• This is a basic phone with no internet. tree →
• Reading is a basic skill for every subject. tree →
• Let's go back to basics and practise adding. tree →
• Soap is basic, and lemon juice is acidic. tree →

Note

Adverb: basically (often just used as a filler: «Basically, I forgot»). Spelling: basIc (not «basick»). «The basics» is always plural.