rudiment

• Grundlegende oder elementare Prinzipien eines Fachgebiets; auch ein rudimentär entwickeltes, verkümmertes Überbleibsel eines Organs oder einer Struktur.

A noun referring to the basic or elementary principles of a subject, or to a vestigial or undeveloped part of an organism.

1. Basic principles or elementsC1formal

   The first principles or elementary stages of a subject or skill.

   Grundlagen

   • He learned the rudiments of cooking from his grandmother.
   • The course covers the rudiments of economics.
   • She mastered the rudiments of the language in just a few months.

   Synonymefoundationgroundworknuts and bolts

2. Vestigial or undeveloped partC2formalscientific

   A body part or organ that is incompletely developed or that remains from an earlier stage of development.

   Rudiment

   • The human appendix is considered a rudiment of a larger organ.
   • Some snakes have rudiments of hind legs.
   • The wings of flightless birds are rudiments of their ancestors' wings.

   Synonymerelicremnanttracevestige