rudimentary
adjective
ru·di·men·ta·ry
ˌrü-də-ˈmen-tə-rē 
-ˈmen-trē
1
: consisting in first principles : fundamental
had only a rudimentary formal education—
D. J. Boorstin
D. J. Boorstin2
: of a primitive kind
the equipment of these past empire-builders was rudimentary—A. J. Toynbee
A. J. Toynbee3
: very imperfectly developed or represented only by a vestige
the rudimentary tail of a hyrax
Examples of rudimentary in a Sentence
Because now, every schlemiel with a pair of mirrored sunglasses and a rudimentary grasp of the rules of poker thinks he can play cards with the pros.
—A. J. Jacobs, New York Times Book Review, 8 May 2005
Despite the rudimentary nature of its instruments—an octant, a chronometer and a level—the Lewis and Clark Expedition was a triumph for science and natural history.
—Daniel J. Boorstin, U.S. News & World Report, 11 July 1994
A few were hopeless imbeciles, unable to comprehend more than the rudimentary requirements of filling their bellies when food was placed before them …
—Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Monster Men, 1929
This class requires a rudimentary knowledge of human anatomy.
When baseball was in its rudimentary stages, different teams played by different rules.
Some insects have only rudimentary wings.
A. J. Jacobs, New York Times Book Review, 8 May 2005
Despite the rudimentary nature of its instruments—an octant, a chronometer and a level—the Lewis and Clark Expedition was a triumph for science and natural history.
—Daniel J. Boorstin, U.S. News & World Report, 11 July 1994
A few were hopeless imbeciles, unable to comprehend more than the rudimentary requirements of filling their bellies when food was placed before them …
—Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Monster Men, 1929
This class requires a rudimentary knowledge of human anatomy.
When baseball was in its rudimentary stages, different teams played by different rules.
Some insects have only rudimentary wings.
Recent Examples on the Web
Few technologies, and certainly few so rudimentary in design and execution, have done more for the betterment of the world than shipping containers.
—Tony Morley, National Review, 25 July 2025
This is the most simple kind of AI agent that basically provides a rudimentary function.
—John Werner, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
Our 2008 rudimentary data analytics revealed these anomalies, a figurative abacus compared to the sophisticated analytics technology OIGs and federal staff have nowadays.
—Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 July 2025
Ukraine’s brigades were unable to overcome Russia’s rudimentary but effective minefields and other physical barriers, while Russian drones wreaked havoc on Ukraine’s armored vehicles.
—Jon Finer, Foreign Affairs, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for rudimentary
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Tony Morley, National Review, 25 July 2025
This is the most simple kind of AI agent that basically provides a rudimentary function.
—John Werner, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
Our 2008 rudimentary data analytics revealed these anomalies, a figurative abacus compared to the sophisticated analytics technology OIGs and federal staff have nowadays.
—Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 July 2025
Ukraine’s brigades were unable to overcome Russia’s rudimentary but effective minefields and other physical barriers, while Russian drones wreaked havoc on Ukraine’s armored vehicles.
—Jon Finer, Foreign Affairs, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for rudimentary
Cite this Entry
“Rudimentary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rudimentary. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
rudimentary
adjective
ru·di·men·ta·ry
ˌrüd-ə-ˈment-ə-rē
-ˈmen-trē
2
: very imperfectly developed or represented only by a small part compared to the fully developed form
a rudimentary tail
Medical Definition
rudimentary
adjective
ru·di·men·ta·ry
ˌrüd-ə-ˈment-ə-rē, -ˈmen-trē
: very imperfectly developed or represented only by a vestige
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