rudiment

Noun

A basic principle or fundamental element of something.
the elementary stages of any subject (usually plural)
- "he mastered only the rudiments of geometry"
the remains of a body part that was functional at an earlier stage of life
- "Meckel's diverticulum is the rudiment of the embryonic yolk sac"
A fundamental principle or skill, especially in a field of learning.
A form that lacks full or complex development.
A body part that no longer has a function
In percussion, one of a selection of basic drum patterns learned as an exercise.

Verb

To ground; to settle in first principles.

Examples

I have the rudiments of an escape plan.
Understanding tile values is a RUDIMENT of mastering Scrabble strategy.
We'll be learning the rudiments of thermodynamics next week.

Origin / Etymology

From Old French, from Latin rudimentum (“a first attempt, a beginning”), plural rudimenta (“the elements”), from rudis (“rude”); see rude.

Synonyms

ABC, ABC's, ABCs, alphabet, first principle, first rudiment

Scrabble Score: 11

rudiment: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
rudiment: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
rudiment: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 14

rudiment: valid Words With Friends Word