basis

American  

[bey-sis] / ˈbeɪ sɪs /

noun

plural

bases

1. the bottom or base of anything; the part on which something stands or rests.

2. anything upon which something is based; fundamental principle; groundwork.

3. the principal constituent; fundamental ingredient.

4. a basic fact, amount, standard, etc., used in making computations, reaching conclusions, or the like.

   The nurse is paid on an hourly basis. He was chosen on the basis of his college grades.

5. Mathematics. a set of linearly independent elements of a given vector space having the property that every element of the space can be written as a linear combination of the elements of the set.

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basis British  

/ ˈbeɪsɪs /

noun

1. something that underlies, supports, or is essential to something else, esp an abstract idea

2. a principle on which something depends or from which something has issued

3. maths (of a vector space) a maximal set of linearly independent vectors, in terms of which all the elements of the space are uniquely expressible, and the number of which is the dimension of the space

   the vectors x, y and z form a basis of the 3-dimensional space all members of which can be written as ax + by + cz

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basis Scientific  

/ bā′sĭs /

plural

bases

1. A set of independent vectors whose linear combinations define a vector space, such as a reference frame used to establish a coordinate system.

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basis Idioms  

1. see on a first-name basis.

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Usage

Plural word for basis The plural form of basis is bases, pronounced [ bey-seez ]. The plurals of several other singular words that end in -is are also formed in this way, including hypothesis/hypotheses, crisis/crises, and axis/axes. A similar change is made when pluralizing appendix as appendices.Irregular plurals that are formed like bases derive directly from their original pluralization in Latin and Greek.

Related Words

See base ¹.

Etymology

Origin of basis

First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin, from Greek básis “step, place one stands on, pedestal,” from ba(ínein) “to walk, step” ( come ) + -sis -sis; base ¹

Example Sentences

Amid fears of stagflation, persistently high interest rates and a weakening labor market, our mood changes almost on a daily basis.

From The Wall Street Journal

The lab focuses on the neurobiological basis of behavioral plasticity, including learning, memory, and addiction, as well as gene-by-environment interactions linked to Alzheimer's disease and related dementia.

From Science Daily

Asked whether the IEA might recommend releasing more barrels from its reserves, Birol said, “we are assessing the market on a daily, if not hourly, basis, 24/7.”

From MarketWatch

We change our tune on an almost daily basis.

From MarketWatch

The carrying of the cross was performed by John Paul II during the first part of his long pontificate, which lasted from 1978 to 2005, and then by Benedict XVI on a more limited basis.

From Barron's

Related Words

• assumption
• base
• essential
• evidence
• explanation
• footing
• fundamental
• justification
• premise
• principle
• proof
• reason
• security
• support
• theory