Rudimentary things are very basic or simple and are therefore unsatisfactory.
[formal]
...a kind of rudimentary kitchen.
They are deprived of the ability to exercise the most rudimentary workers' rights.
Synonyms: primitive, simple, basic, rough More Synonyms of rudimentary
2. adjective
Rudimentary knowledge includes only the simplest and most basic facts.
[formal]
He had only a rudimentary knowledge of French.
...a rudimentary grasp of economics.
Synonyms: basic, fundamental, elementary, early More Synonyms of rudimentary
More Synonyms of rudimentary
rudimentary in British English
(ˌruːdɪˈmɛntərɪ) or less commonly rudimental
adjective
1.
basic; fundamental; not elaborated or perfected
2.
incompletely developed; vestigial
rudimentary leaves
Derived forms
rudimentarily (ˌrudiˈmentarily) or rare rudimentally (ˌrudiˈmentally)
adverb
rudimentary in American English
(ˌrudəˈmɛntəri; ˌrudəˈmɛntri)
adjective
of, or having the nature of, a rudiment or rudiments
; specif.,
a.
elementary
b.
incompletely or imperfectly developed
c.
vestigial
: sometimes ˌrudiˈmental
Derived forms
rudimentarily (ˌrudəmɛnˈtɛrəli; ˌrudəˈmɛntərəli)
adverb
rudimentariness (ˌrudiˈmentariness)
noun
Examples of 'rudimentary' in a sentence
rudimentary
Street sweeping requires a rudimentary understanding of how a brush works.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
These crude forms of tool use clearly must be regarded as a rudimentary form of culture.
Sanderson, Stephen K. Macrosociology: An Introduction to Human Societies (1995)
But most of the basic skills are in place in at least rudimentary form.
Bee, Helen The Developing Child (7th edn.) (1995)
The excellence of their rugby players is based upon a profound grasp of the rudimentary.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The result was a rudimentary understanding of the building blocks of a computer's brain.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Do you have a rudimentary grasp of English?
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Anyone with the most rudimentary knowledge of physics knows that the more energy you take into an impact, the more destructive it will be.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
He spoke little Urdu and the captain had only a rudimentary grasp of English.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
MONKEYS and apes have a sense of morality and the rudimentary ability to tell right from wrong, according to new research.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
We could put up with the single downstairs room and its rudimentary corner kitchen, old-fashioned sink and greasy veteran stove.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Or chance my theory - based neither on science nor the most rudimentary understanding of traffic flow - that all lanes progress equally in traffic jams?
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
This was more like it: two old railway carriages linked by a middle room, a rudimentary kitchen and bathroom and a skinny sun room along the back.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
In other languages
rudimentary
British English: rudimentary ADJECTIVE
Rudimentary things are very basic or simple and are therefore unsatisfactory.
...a kind of rudimentary kitchen.
American English: rudimentary
Brazilian Portuguese: rudimentar
Chinese: 简陋的
European Spanish: rudimentario
French: rudimentaire
German: primitiv
Italian: rudimentale
Japanese: 原始的な
Korean: 아주 기본적인
European Portuguese: rudimentar
Latin American Spanish: rudimentario
1 (adjective)
It had been extended into a kind of rudimentary kitchen.
Synonyms
primitive
primitive tools
simple
The simple truth is that experts haven't a clue.
basic
the extremely basic hotel room
rough
crude
crude wooden carvings
makeshift
makeshift shelters of branches and leaves
undeveloped
unsophisticated
music of a crude kind which unsophisticated audiences enjoyed
rough and ready
Here is a rough and ready measurement.
2 (adjective)
He had only a rudimentary knowledge of French.
Synonyms
basic
shortages of even the most basic foodstuffs
fundamental
The two leaders have very fundamental differences.
elementary
Literacy now includes elementary computer skills.
early
the book's early chapters
primary
initial
The initial reaction has been excellent.
introductory
an introductory course in religion and theology
3 (adjective)
a rudimentary backbone called a notochord
Synonyms
undeveloped
damage to the undeveloped foetus
incomplete
Some offices had incomplete information on spending.
immature
You're just being childish and immature.
embryonic
his embryonic managerial career
vestigial
The grass snake has vestigial limbs.
Opposites
advanced
,
mature
,
refined
,
later
,
higher
,
developed
,
complete
,
sophisticated
Additional synonyms
in the sense of crude
Definition
rough and simple
crude wooden carvings
Synonyms
simple,
rudimentary,
basic,
primitive,
coarse,
clumsy,
rough-and-ready,
rough-hewn
in the sense of early
Definition
in the first part of a period of time
the book's early chapters
Synonyms
first,
opening,
earliest,
initial,
introductory
in the sense of elementary
Definition
involving only the most basic principles of a subject
Literacy now includes elementary computer skills.
Synonyms
basic,
essential,
primary,
initial,
fundamental,
introductory,
preparatory,
rudimentary,
elemental,
bog-standard (informal)
Synonyms of 'rudimentary'
rudimentary
Explore 'rudimentary' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of embryonic
Definition
in an early stage
his embryonic managerial career
Synonyms
rudimentary,
early,
beginning,
primary,
budding,
fledgling,
immature,
seminal,
nascent,
undeveloped,
incipient,
inchoate,
unformed,
germinal
in the sense of fundamental
Definition
basic
The two leaders have very fundamental differences.
Synonyms
basic,
essential,
underlying,
organic,
profound,
elementary,
rudimentary
in the sense of immature
Definition
lacking wisdom, insight, or stability because of youth
You're just being childish and immature.
Synonyms
childish,
juvenile,
infantile,
puerile,
callow,
babyish,
wet behind the ears (informal),
jejune
in the sense of incomplete
Definition
not finished or whole
Some offices had incomplete information on spending.
Synonyms
unfinished,
partial,
insufficient,
wanting,
short,
lacking,
undone,
defective,
deficient,
imperfect,
undeveloped,
fragmentary,
unaccomplished,
unexecuted,
half-pie (New Zealand, informal)
in the sense of initial
Definition
of or at the beginning
The initial reaction has been excellent.
Synonyms
opening,
first,
early,
earliest,
beginning,
primary,
maiden,
inaugural,
commencing,
introductory,
embryonic,
incipient,
inchoate,
inceptive
in the sense of introductory
Definition
serving as an introduction
an introductory course in religion and theology
Synonyms
preliminary,
elementary,
first,
early,
initial,
inaugural,
preparatory,
initiatory,
prefatory,
precursory
in the sense of makeshift
Definition
serving as a temporary substitute
makeshift shelters of branches and leaves
Synonyms
temporary,
provisional,
make-do,
substitute,
jury,
expedient,
rough and ready,
stopgap
in the sense of primary
Definition
being the first stage
Synonyms
elementary,
simple,
introductory,
rudimentary
in the sense of rough and ready
Definition
hastily prepared but adequate for the purpose
Here is a rough and ready measurement.
Synonyms
makeshift,
adequate,
crude,
provisional,
improvised,
sketchy,
thrown together,
cobbled together,
stopgap
in the sense of simple
Definition
sincere or frank
The simple truth is that experts haven't a clue.
Synonyms
honest,
direct,
basic,
frank,
plain,
naked,
stark,
sincere,
bald,
undeniable,
unvarnished
Additional synonyms
in the sense of unsophisticated
Definition
lacking refinement or complexity
music of a crude kind which unsophisticated audiences enjoyed