Basic English

noun

1. a simplified form of English restricted to an 850-word vocabulary and a few rules of grammar, intended especially as an international auxiliary language and for use in teaching English as a foreign language: devised by Charles Kay Ogden.

basic English

noun

1. a simplified form of English, proposed by C. K. Ogden and I. A. Richards, containing a vocabulary of approximately 850 of the commonest English words, intended as an international language

Word History and Origins

Origin of Basic English¹

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

Digital signs outside classrooms indicated Yu was teaching at least two basic computer courses, including one called “Basic English for Internet Security.”

From Reuters

The Basic English Institute, which manages a simplified version of English with an 850-word vocabulary, warns that the language is copyrighted to prevent people from passing inferior or expanded variations off as the real thing.

From The Verge

You say the letter accompanying the first deposit, the one in Basic English, was apparently taken away by Kettle-Belly Sam Bonney.

From Project Gutenberg

Most of them could speak Basic English, but I never saw one who would admit to understanding more of our language than the 850-word Basic vocabulary.

From Project Gutenberg