basic

Etymology

base + -ic.

adj

1. Necessary, essential for life or some process.
   Flour is a basic ingredient of bread.
   Over the past few weeks, U.S. Coast Guard service members, civilian employees and their families have had to scramble to pay for basic necessities. Many have taken donations of food and toiletries from their communities, and frantically called their banks and credit unions to try to avert financial disaster. January 24 2019, Tara Law, “There’s a Food Pantry at the Coast Guard Academy. How the Shutdown Is Causing Special Pain for Service Members”, in Time
   Having access to the truth is a basic right of the general public. September 21, 2020, “Breaking Through the Internet Blockade”, in Minghui
2. Elementary, simple, fundamental, merely functional.
   The Hotel Sparta’s accommodation is very basic.
3. (chemistry) Of or pertaining to a base; having a pH greater than 7.
4. (informal) Unremarkable or uninteresting; boring; uncool.
   I'm not saying people are jealous of Hathaway because she is so perfect. Yes, she does have it all — husband, healthy career, good looks. But she doesn't do anything in an "awesome" way. She's basic. 2013, Sam Stryker, "Why Does Everyone Hate Anne Hathaway?", The Observer (University of Notre Dame and Saint Mary's College), Volume 46, Issue 101, 1 March 2013, page 11
   And what can be said about Ginny? She’s basic. My guess is that she spends her time drinking pumpkin spice lattes and watching “Pretty Little Liars.” The Chosen One is way out of her quidditch league. 3 February 2014, Trevor Thrall, “Firing Line: Rowling says ‘JK,’ Ron and Hermione not meant to be”, in The Daily Campus, volume 99, number 54, Southern Methodist University, page 4
   "I couldn't get into it, I could barely understand what he's saying – it had too much cursing and explicit language," said Cortnee Brandon. "I think his lyrics are easy...he's basic. Kendrick Lamar is kind of overrated." 2015, Lily Kunda, "A New Track On Hip-Hipocrisy", The Marlin Chronicle (Virginia Wesleyan College), 26 February 2015, page 7
   It [the online far right] feels full of righteous contempt for anything mainstream, conformist, basic. 2017, Angela Nagle, chapter 7, in Kill All Normies, Zero Books

noun

1. A necessary commodity, a staple requirement.
   Rice is a basic for many Asian villagers.
2. An elementary building block, e.g. a fundamental piece of knowledge.
   Arithmetic is a basic for the study of mathematics.
   I know the basics of sailing and would love to learn more.
3. (military) Basic training.
   When I shipped out for basic, the Orbital Defense Grid was all theory and politics. 9 November 2004, Bungie, Halo 2, v1.0, Microsoft Game Studios, Xbox, level/area: The Armory
   The drill sergeants gave him hell in basic.