Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Rudiment

Ru′di-ment

(rṳ′dĭ-ment)
,
Noun.
[L.
rudimentum
, fr.
rudis
unwrought, ignorant, rude: cf. F.
rudiment
. See
Rude
.]
1.
That which is unformed or undeveloped; the principle which lies at the bottom of any development; an unfinished beginning.
but I will bring thee where thou soon shalt quit
Those
rudiments
, and see before thine eyes
The monarchies of the earth.
Milton.
the single leaf is the
rudiment
of beauty in landscape.
I. Taylor.
2.
Hence, an element or first principle of any art or science; a beginning of any knowledge; a first step.
This boy is forest-born,
And hath been tutored in the
rudiments

of many desperate studies.
Shakespeare
There he shall first lay down the
rudiments

Of his great warfare.
Milton.
3.
(Biol.)
An imperfect organ or part, or one which is never developed.

Ru′di-ment

,
Verb.
T.
To furnish with first principles or rules; to insrtuct in the rudiments.
Gayton.

Webster 1828 Edition


Rudiment

RU'DIMENT

,
Noun.
[L. rudimentum. If connected with erudio, it denotes what is taught. But the real origin is not obvious.]
1.
A first principle or element; that which is to be first learnt; as the rudiments of learning or science. Articulate sounds are the rudiments of language; letters or characters are the rudiments of written language; the primary rules of any art or science are its rudiments. Hence instruction in the rudiments of any art or science, constitutes the beginning of education in that art or science.
2.
The original of any thing in its first form. Thus in botany, the germen, ovary or seed-bud, is the rudiment of the fruit yet in embryo; and the seed is the rudiment of a new plant.
Rudiment, in natural history, is also an imperfect organ; one which is never fully formed. Thus the flowers in the genus Pentstemon, have four stamens and a rudiment of a fifth, (a simple filament without an anther.)
God beholds the first imperfect rudiments of virtue in the soul.

RU'DIMENT

,
Verb.
T.
to furnish with first principles or rules; to ground; to settle in first principles.

Definition 2024


rudiment

rudiment

English

Noun

rudiment (plural rudiments)

  1. A fundamental principle or skill, especially in a field of learning (often in the plural).
    We learn the rudiments of thermodynamics next week.
    • Shakespeare
      This boy is forest-born, / And hath been tutored in the rudiments / Of many desperate studies.
  2. Something in an undeveloped form (often in the plural).
    I have the rudiments of an escape plan.
    • Milton
      But I will bring thee where thou soon shalt quit / Those rudiments, and see before thine eyes / The monarchies of the earth.
    • I. Taylor
      The single leaf is the rudiment of beauty in landscape.
  3. (biology) A body part that no longer has a function
  4. (music) In percussion, one of a selection of basic drum patterns learned as an exercise.

Hypernyms

Derived terms

Translations

External links

  • rudiment in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
  • rudiment in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
  • rudiment at OneLook Dictionary Search

Catalan

Etymology

Latin rudimentum

Noun

rudiment m (plural rudiments)

  1. rudiment (fundamental principle)

French

Etymology

Latin rudimentum

Noun

rudiment m (plural rudiments)

  1. rudiment (fundamental principle)

Related terms


Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

From German Rudiment, from Latin rudimentum.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /rudǐment/
  • Hyphenation: ru‧di‧ment

Noun

rudìment m (Cyrillic spelling рудѝмент)

  1. rudiment

Declension

References

  • rudiment” in Hrvatski jezični portal