Word of the day: Basal

Basal

[BAY-zəl]

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Old French and Middle English, late 14th century

Forming or belonging to a bottom layer or base.

Examples of basal in a sentence

"The bush’s basal leaves were large and lush."

"The pre-k school offered students some basal education."

About Basal

This word comes from Old French, but stems originally from either the Latin “basis,” meaning “foundation” or the Greek “basis,” meaning “a stepping, a step, that on which one steps or stands, pedestal.” The “-al” suffix means “of, like, related to, pertaining to.”

Did you Know?

A person’s basal metabolism is the rate at which the body uses energy while at rest to maintain vital functions. Research has shown low-calorie diets tend to suppress basal metabolism.