adv · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Hong-Kong:/ˈbeɪ.sɪk.koʊ.li/
CMU ARPABET:B EY1 S IH0 K L IY0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adv
Meaning 1
In a fundamental, essential or basic manner.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
They've added some fancy features, but it's basically still a crappy car.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adv
Meaning 2
Essentially; mostly; pretty much.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adv
Meaning 3
Used to refer to the most important or fundamental point that the speaker is making or to indicate a generalization or simplification; sometimes tending towards a meaningless filler word.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Qualifier: filler
Examples
I shouldn't have done it, basically.
To get your eyes tested, you should basically go to the optician's.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adverb
Meaning 4
in essence; at bottom or by one's (or its) very nature
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
He is basically dishonest
the argument was essentially a technical one
for all his bluster he is in essence a shy person
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: fundamentally, essentially
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree English basic Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālisbor. Old French -albor. ▲ Latin -ālis Old French -elbor. ▲ Latin -ālisbor. Middle English -al Middle English -ly Middle English -ally English -ally English basically From basic + -ally.
Across languages
Translations
33 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
ببَسَاطَة
(bi-basāṭa)
— in a fundamental or basic manner
Armenian:
հիմնականում
(himnakanum)
— in a fundamental or basic manner
Armenian:
ըստ էության
(əst ēutʻyan)
— in a fundamental or basic manner
Catalan:
bàsicament
— in a fundamental or basic manner
Estonian:
põhimõtteliselt
— in a fundamental or basic manner
Finnish:
perimmältään
— in a fundamental or basic manner
Finnish:
pohjimmiltaan
— in a fundamental or basic manner
Finnish:
periaatteessa
— in a fundamental or basic manner
French:
foncièrement
— in a fundamental or basic manner
French:
sommairement
— in a fundamental or basic manner
French:
à la base
— in a fundamental or basic manner
German:
im Prinzip
— in a fundamental or basic manner
Hebrew:
עֶקְרוֹנִית
(eqronit)
— in a fundamental or basic manner
Hungarian:
lényegében
— in a fundamental or basic manner
Hungarian:
lényegét tekintve
— in a fundamental or basic manner
Hungarian:
alapvetően
— in a fundamental or basic manner
Icelandic:
í grundvallaratriðum
— in a fundamental or basic manner
Italian:
praticamente
— in a fundamental or basic manner
Italian:
in pratica
— in a fundamental or basic manner
Italian:
basicamente
— in a fundamental or basic manner
Korean:
근본적(根本的)으로
(geunbonjeog-euro)
— in a fundamental or basic manner
Persian:
اساسا
(asâsan)
— in a fundamental or basic manner
Polish:
zasadniczo
— in a fundamental or basic manner
Polish:
fundamentalnie
— in a fundamental or basic manner
Polish:
podstawowo
— in a fundamental or basic manner
Polish:
z gruntu
— in a fundamental or basic manner
Portuguese:
basicamente
— in a fundamental or basic manner
Russian:
в основно́м
(v osnovnóm)
— in a fundamental or basic manner
Russian:
по существу́
(po suščestvú)
— in a fundamental or basic manner
Russian:
в при́нципе
(v príncipe)
— in a fundamental or basic manner
Spanish:
básicamente
— in a fundamental or basic manner
Ukrainian:
в основно́му
(v osnovnómu)
— in a fundamental or basic manner
