Elementary Definition & Meaning

American

British

Usage

Related Words

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms elementary American [el-uh-men-tuh-ree, -tree] / ˌɛl əˈmɛn tə ri, -tri /

adjective

1. pertaining to or dealing with elements, rudiments, or first principles.

   an elementary grammar.

2. of or relating to an elementary school.

   elementary teachers.

3. of the nature of an ultimate constituent; simple or uncompounded.

4. pertaining to the four elements, earth, water, air, and fire, or to the great forces of nature; elemental.

5. Chemistry. of or noting one or more elements.

elementary British / -trɪ, ˌɛlɪˈmɛntərɪ /

adjective

1. not difficult; simple; rudimentary

2. of or concerned with the first principles of a subject; introductory or fundamental

3. maths (of a function) having the form of an algebraic, exponential, trigonometric, or a logarithmic function, or any combination of these

4. chem another word for elemental

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

What does elementary mean? Elementary describes the basics or beginning steps of something. Elementary lessons in soccer, for example, might include how to dribble the ball.The most common use of elementary in the US is in the phrase elementary school, the first few years of schooling, when the basics of reading, math, and other important subjects are taught. An elementary teacher is someone who teaches in elementary school and an elementary math book is a book with math lessons aimed at elementary schoolchildren.Elementary can also be used in the context of chemical elements, which are a class of substances that cannot be broken down into simpler substances. In older scientific studies and belief systems, the Earth was believed to be elementarily comprised of four elements: earth, fire, water, and air.Related to that, something that is elementary is simple or uncompounded.Example: Times tables are simply elementary, so I do not need a calculator.

Related Words

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.

Other Word Forms

• elementarily adverb
• elementariness noun
• nonelementary adjective
• postelementary adjective
• preelementary adjective
• quasi-elementary adjective
• superelementary adjective
• transelementary adjective
• unelementary adjective

Etymology

Origin of elementary

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English elementare (from Middle French elementaire ), from Latin elementārius. See element, -ary

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

I am in the same general age bracket as Ms. Noonan and I can recall the nuclear-attack drills we all experienced in elementary and junior high school.

From The Wall Street Journal

It also represents the final elementary excitation of the tin-133 nucleus, helping complete the nuclear structure picture and improving the accuracy of theoretical calculations.

From Science Daily

The Associated Press, citing two sources, reported that outdated intelligence likely led to the United States carrying out the deadly missile strike on the elementary school.

From Los Angeles Times

I dreamed of my children learning Chinese in the dual language immersion program of the local elementary.

From Los Angeles Times

“I’m . . .” I pause, thinking of that feelings chart from elementary school with all those little faces lined up in even rows.

From Literature

Related Words

• elemental
• fundamental
• rudimentary
• straightforward
• underlying

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.