n.
Pronunciation: ' b ā s-m ə nt
Function: noun
Etymology: probably from 1 base
Date: 1613
1 : the part of a building that is wholly or partly below ground level
2 : the ground floor facade or interior in Renaissance architecture
3 : the lowest or fundamental part of something specifically : the rocks underlying stratified rocks
4 chiefly New England : a toilet or washroom especially in a school
– base · ment · less \ -l ə s \ adjective