basal

Etymology

From base + -al.

adj

1. Basic, elementary; relating to, or forming, the base, or point of origin.
   This is the basal idea.
   The organism needs more energy on basal maintenance.
   A basal reader is a kind of book that is used to teach reading.
2. (anatomy) Associated with the base of an organism or structure.
   In the spring, basal leaves emerge from a stout taproot.
3. (medicine) Of a minimal level that is necessary for maintaining the health or life of an organism.
   a basal diet
4. (chiefly systematics) In a phylogenetic tree, being a group, or member of a group, which diverged earlier. The earliest clade to branch in a larger clade.
   Hittite is a basal Indo-European language.
   A magnolia is a basal angiosperm.

noun

1. base, bottom, minimum
2. (anatomy) Any basal structure or part