elementary

[el-uh-men-tuh-ree, -tree] / ˌɛl əˈmɛn tə ri, -tri /

ADJECTIVE

simple, basic

Synonyms

STRONGEST

elemental fundamental rudimentary straightforward underlying

WEAK

ABCs abecedarian basal beginning child's play clear duck soup easy essential facile foundational initial introductory meat and potatoes original plain prefatory preliminary primary primitive primo simplest simplex simplified substratal uncomplex uncomplicated

Antonyms

STRONGEST

additional advanced extra secondary

WEAK

abstruse complex complicated compound difficult hard intricate involved

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In its first moments, the universe was a seething soup of elementary particles and energetic photons that would destroy any atom before it could form.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026

Sprinter Brittany Brown, a bronze medalist at the 2024 Paris Olympics, now has a mural at the Claremont elementary school where she ran to escape childhood hardships.

From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026

Physicists have traditionally sorted all elementary particles in our three-dimensional universe into two categories: bosons and fermions.

From Science Daily • May 9, 2026

I grew up Missouri Synod Lutheran, went to a Lutheran elementary school, public, middle school and high school, but definitely the Bible and family worship were central to my upbringing.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

The song spreads from one row to the next, toward the back of the bus with the eighth graders and toward the front with the elementary kids.

From "Clairboyance" by Kristiana Kahakauwila

Vocabulary lists containing elementary

Animal Farm

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Essential English Vocabulary, List 1

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'Tis A Gift To Be Simple: Words For National Simplicity Day

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