basement

noun

base·​ment ˈbās-mənt 

1

: the part of a building that is wholly or partly below ground level

2

: the ground floor facade or interior in Renaissance architecture

3

: the lowest or fundamental part of something

specifically : the rocks underlying stratified rocks

4

chiefly New England : a toilet or washroom especially in a school

5

a

: a low state, rank, or condition

With their stock in the basement and red ink all over their balance sheet, many struggling [companies] are finding that fund-raising has become an exceedingly difficult proposition.

—Brad Stone

b

: the lowest place in the standings : cellar sense 2

Last year, the Phillies finished in the basement of the NL East with 68 wins, tied with the Cubs for the fewest wins in the league.

—Boston Herald

basementless

ˈbās-mənt-ləs 

adjective

Synonyms

• cellar

Examples of basement in a Sentence

we store our bicycles in the basement during the winter

the basement of the outdoor fountain needs a lot of restoration work

Recent Examples on the Web

The Hamptons often makes headlines for its splashy, brand-new mansions with Himalayan salt rooms and bowling alleys in the basements, but some of the South Fork’s most impressive and coveted properties are much simpler, more free-spirited, and happily rooted in the past. —Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 5 Nov. 2024

Candace Craig, 46, is on trial this week on allegations of murder in connection with the death of her mother, 71-year-old Margaret Craig, whose remains were discovered by police in trash bags in the basement of her Hyattsville home in May 2023, WUSA9 reported. —Christine Pelisek, People.com, 1 Nov. 2024

Even this basement dweller is never less than watchable, but why choose it when there are much better options? 39. —Keith Phipps, Vulture, 1 Nov. 2024

The heroic rescue of an Ohio woman from the basement of a home fully engulfed in flames was caught on body camera video. —Pilar Arias, Fox News, 29 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

base entry 1 or base entry 2 + -ment, probably after Italian basamento

First Known Use

1730, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing basement

• bargain basement
• basement membrane
• finished basement/attic
• sub-basement

Kids Definition

basement

noun

base·​ment ˈbās-mənt 

: the part of a building that is entirely or partly below ground level