ELEMENTARY


Meaning of ELEMENTARY in English

— elementarily /el'euh men ter"euh lee/ , adv. — elementariness , n.

/el'euh men"teuh ree, -tree/ , adj.

1. pertaining to or dealing with elements, rudiments, or first principles: an elementary grammar.

2. of or pertaining 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. Chem. of or noting one or more elements.

[ 1400-50; late ME elementare ( elementaire ) elementarius. See ELEMENT, -ARY ]

Syn. 1. 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.

Random House Webster's Unabridged English dictionary.      Полный английский словарь Вебстер - Random House .