Dictionary

basically en · ADV

Pronunciation

• /ˈbeɪ.sɪk.koʊ.li/ (Hong-Kong)
• (US) audio
• /ˈbeɪ.sɪk.(ə.)li/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
• bāʹsĭk-(ə)lē (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *gʷem- Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *gʷémtis Proto-Hellenic *gʷə́tis Ancient Greek βᾰ́σῐς (bắsĭs)bor. Latin basis Old French basebor. Middle English base English base Proto-Indo-European *-ikos Proto-Italic *-ikos Latin -icuslbor. Old French -iquebor. Middle English -ik English -ic English basic Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- Proto-Indo-European *-is Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālisbor. Old French -albor. ▲ Latin -ālis Old French -elbor. ▲ Latin -ālisbor. Middle English -al Proto-Indo-European *leyg-der. Proto-Germanic *līkąder. Proto-Germanic *-līkaz Proto-Germanic *-ê Proto-Germanic *-līkê Proto-West Germanic *-līkē Old English -līċe Middle English -ly Middle English -ally English -ally English basically From basic + -ally.

Meanings

1. In a fundamental, essential or basic manner.
   • They've added some fancy features, but it's basically still a crappy car.
2. Essentially; mostly; pretty much.
3. (qualifier:filler) Used to refer to the most important or fundamental point that the speaker is making or to indicate a generalization or simplification; sometimes tending towards a meaningless filler word.
   • To get your eyes tested, you should basically go to the optician's.
   • I shouldn't have done it, basically.

Forms

Deriveds

baso

Synonyms

chiefly (for the most part) · more often than not · fundamentally · essentially (in a fundamental manner)

Translations (33)

ar ببَسَاطَة (in a fundamental or basic manner) · hu lényegében (in a fundamental or basic manner) · pl z gruntu (in a fundamental or basic manner) · et põhimõtteliselt (in a fundamental or basic manner) · it basicamente (in a fundamental or basic manner) · ko 근본적(根本的)으로 (in a fundamental or basic manner) · fi periaatteessa (in a fundamental or basic manner) · pt basicamente (in a fundamental or basic manner) · hy ըստ էության (in a fundamental or basic manner) · ru по существу́ (in a fundamental or basic manner) · hu alapvetően (in a fundamental or basic manner) · ru в при́нципе (in a fundamental or basic manner) · es básicamente (in a fundamental or basic manner) · pl podstawowo (in a fundamental or basic manner) · is í grundvallaratriðum (in a fundamental or basic manner) · ru в основно́м (in a fundamental or basic manner) · fr foncièrement (in a fundamental or basic manner) · uz asosan (in a fundamental or basic manner) · pl zasadniczo (in a fundamental or basic manner) · fi perimmältään (in a fundamental or basic manner) · fa اساسا (in a fundamental or basic manner) · ca bàsicament (in a fundamental or basic manner) · it in pratica (in a fundamental or basic manner) · fr à la base (in a fundamental or basic manner) · de im Prinzip (in a fundamental or basic manner) · uk в основно́му (in a fundamental or basic manner) · pl fundamentalnie (in a fundamental or basic manner) · hu lényegét tekintve (in a fundamental or basic manner) · fi pohjimmiltaan (in a fundamental or basic manner) · hy հիմնականում (in a fundamental or basic manner) · fr sommairement (in a fundamental or basic manner) · he עֶקְרוֹנִית (in a fundamental or basic manner) · it praticamente (in a fundamental or basic manner)