Added 9 October 2026
elementary
/ˌɛlɪˈmɛntəɹi/ adjective
In Latin: elementārius Wiktionary
adjective Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about elementary at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
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Easy and not involved or complicated.
an elementary problem in statistics
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Of or pertaining to or characteristic of elementary school or elementary education.
the elementary grades
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Of or being the essential or basic part.
an elementary need for love and nurturing
Origin
From Middle English elementare, from Latin elementārius (“elementary”), from elementum (“one of the four elements of antiquity; fundamentals”) + -ārius (adjective-forming suffix). Cognate with French élémentaire. By surface analysis, element + -ary.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)