fun ‧ da ‧ men ‧ tal W2 AC /ˌfʌndəˈmentl◂/ BrE AmE adjective
[ Date: 1400-1500 ; Origin: fundament 'basic part' (13-21 centuries) , from Latin fundus ; ⇨ ↑ fund 1 ]
1 . relating to the most basic and important parts of something:
We have to tackle the fundamental cause of the problem.
fundamental change/difference/distinction/shift etc
a fundamental difference in opinion
fundamental mistake/error
Novice programmers sometimes make fundamental errors.
the fundamental principles of liberty and equality
2 . very necessary and important:
fundamental human rights
fundamental to
Water is fundamental to survival.
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COLLOCATIONS
■ nouns
▪ a fundamental change
A fundamental change is needed in the voting system.
▪ a fundamental difference
There is no fundamental difference between people of different races.
▪ a fundamental distinction (=a clear difference between two similar things)
A fundamental distinction exists between knowing a fact and understanding it.
▪ a fundamental problem
Charity could not solve the fundamental problem of unemployment.
▪ a fundamental question
To reach a solution several fundamental questions need to be answered.
▪ a fundamental issue
This report raises a number of fundamental issues.
▪ the fundamental reason
The fundamental reason for the project’s failure was the lack of funds.
▪ the fundamental cause
A burst tyre was the fundamental cause of the crash.
▪ a fundamental mistake/error
The government made at least one fundamental mistake when drawing up this legislation.
▪ a fundamental weakness (=fault)
She points out the fundamental weaknesses in his argument.
▪ a fundamental flaw (=fault that makes something imperfect)
There is a fundamental flaw in the current tax system.
▪ fundamental principles (=moral rules or beliefs about what is right and wrong)
Let me state a couple of fundamental principles which we value highly.
■ phrases
▪ something is of fundamental importance (=it is extremely important)
It is of fundamental importance that justice should be seen to be done.
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THESAURUS
▪ basic the basic things or information are the ones that are the most necessary, or the ones that you need to know first:
Visit our website for some basic facts about healthy eating, exercise and weight control.
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Water – indeed everything basic to life here must be brought in by truck.
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people's basic needs
▪ fundamental more important than anything else - used especially when you want to emphasize what you are saying:
The fundamental problem is a lack of resources.
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one of the fundamental beliefs of Christianity
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These values are fundamental to our society.
▪ essential used when talking about a particular thing or feature, which something must have in order to continue. Also used when talking about the main point, difference etc:
Freedom of the press is essential to our democracy.
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Change and diversity are essential characteristics of the natural world.
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The essential point is this: either we act now, or the whole future of our planet is uncertain.
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One of the essential differences between humans and computers is that humans are more likely to make mistakes.
▪ central very important and having a lot of influence or receiving a lot of attention:
Indonesia occupies a central role in this market.
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Education is central to government policy.