Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'basis
Afrikaans | basis | ||
The Afrikaans word "basis" is derived from the Greek word "βάσις" which means "step," "foundation," or "support". | |||
Amharic | መሠረት | ||
The word "መሠረት" can also refer to the "foundation" of a building or the "origin" of something. | |||
Hausa | tushe | ||
Hausa tushe, from the verb tushe "to begin first, start, originate, originate from, come from, arise, emanate from, set out, start out, commence, initiate, arise, come about, break out, spring up, occur, originate in, come into being, be due to, be caused by". | |||
Igbo | ndabere | ||
It can be used figuratively to denote an individual's or group's fundamental principles or worldview. | |||
Malagasy | mandritra ny herinandro | ||
The word "mandritra ny herinandro" is also used to refer to the foundation of a building or the basis of an argument. | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | maziko | ||
The word "maziko" can also mean "foundation" or "root" in Nyanja (Chichewa). | |||
Shona | hwaro | ||
The Shona word 'hwaro' can also refer to the starting point of a journey or a race. | |||
Somali | aasaaska | ||
"Aasaaska" is also a Somali word for "foundation" when used in the context of building construction. | |||
Sesotho | motheo | ||
In Sesotho, "motheo" also refers to the lower part of a grinding stone. | |||
Swahili | msingi | ||
Msingi originates from the root "singi" meaning "to stick" or "to erect", as a basis needs to be solid and stable to support something. | |||
Xhosa | isiseko | ||
The word "isiseko" is also used in Xhosa to mean "foundation" or "cornerstone." | |||
Yoruba | ipilẹ | ||
"Ipile" also means "root" in Yoruba, which reinforces its usage as a base or foundation upon which something is built. | |||
Zulu | isisekelo | ||
The word "isisekelo" in Zulu has additional meanings, including "foundation" and "origin". | |||
Bambara | basigi | ||
Ewe | gɔmeɖoanyi | ||
Kinyarwanda | ishingiro | ||
Lingala | moboko | ||
Luganda | omusingi | ||
Sepedi | motheo | ||
Twi (Akan) | nnyinaso | ||
Arabic | أساس | ||
The word "أساس" also means "foundation", "principle", or "element". It comes from the root "أسس" which means "to establish" or "to found". | |||
Hebrew | בָּסִיס | ||
The word "בָּסִיס" (_basis_) can also refer to a military base. | |||
Pashto | اساس | ||
اساس (basis) originates from the Greek word 'basis' and also means 'foundation' and 'cornerstone' in Pashto. | |||
Arabic | أساس | ||
The word "أساس" also means "foundation", "principle", or "element". It comes from the root "أسس" which means "to establish" or "to found". |
Albanian | baze | ||
The Albanian word 'baze', meaning 'basis', is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *bʰeh₃- or *bhes-, meaning 'to stand'. | |||
Basque | oinarria | ||
"Oinarria" can also mean "foundation", "pillar", or "principle" in Basque. | |||
Catalan | base | ||
In Catalan, the word "base" derives from the Latin "basis", also referring to a foundation, footing, or the ground of something. | |||
Croatian | osnova | ||
The word `osnova` comes from the Proto-Slavic word *osnova, meaning foundation or groundwork. | |||
Danish | basis | ||
In Danish, "basis" can also refer to a pile of logs used to start a fire. | |||
Dutch | basis | ||
The Dutch word "basis" can also refer to a bass fish. | |||
English | basis | ||
"Basis" derives from the Greek "basis," meaning "foundation" or "step." | |||
French | base | ||
French "base" comes from Latin "basis" which has roots in ancient Greek meaning "to step-stand". | |||
Frisian | basis | ||
The Frisian word "basis" also has the meanings "base" and "floor". | |||
Galician | base | ||
When used as an adjective, "base" is cognate to the Spanish word "bajo" (meaning low, short, or cheap) | |||
German | basis | ||
"Basis" in German comes from the Greek term for "foundation" "βάσις" (basis) and besides the meaning as a technical base also denotes: 1. the bottom layer of something, e.g. a building 2. the fundamental or essential part of something, e.g. a theory 3. a starting point or reference from where to start, e.g. a basis for a negotiation 4. in a figurative sense also the fundamental or decisive part of something, e.g. of a decision 5. in mathematics and physics a vector space or a linear combination of vectors 6. in linguistics the base of an inflection or derivation | |||
Icelandic | grundvöllur | ||
The word "grundvöllur" literally means "ground floor" in Icelandic | |||
Irish | bhonn | ||
"Bhonn" also means "sole" or "bottom" in Irish, and is related to the Welsh word "bôn" meaning "foundation" or "base". | |||
Italian | base | ||
In Italian, the word "base" is also used to refer to the pedestal of a statue or column. | |||
Luxembourgish | basis | ||
The word "Basis" in Luxembourgish can also refer to a type of sock. | |||
Maltese | bażi | ||
The word "bażi" derives from the Arabic word "bāz" which means "falcon". | |||
Norwegian | basis | ||
Can be used to mean 'foundation, basis' but also 'bass (musical instrument)' and is a cognate of English 'base'. | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | base | ||
The word "base" has multiple meanings in Portuguese, one of the most common being the plural of "baixo", meaning "low" in Portuguese. | |||
Scots Gaelic | bunait | ||
The word 'bunait' in Scots Gaelic can also mean 'foundation', 'principle', or 'groundwork' | |||
Spanish | base | ||
The word "base" in Spanish also has the sense of "bottom" or "foundation". | |||
Swedish | grund | ||
The word "grund" in Swedish can also refer to soil or land, reflecting its connection to the earth as a firm foundation. | |||
Welsh | sail | ||
The etymology of the Welsh word 'sail' is obscure, with some suggesting a Germanic origin and others a Celtic one. |
Belarusian | аснова | ||
Bosnian | osnova | ||
"Osnova" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₃es-, denoting "to be" and is also related to Slavic words for "essence", "reason" and "beginning". | |||
Bulgarian | основа | ||
The word "основа" can also mean "foundation", "base", or "principle". | |||
Czech | základ | ||
The word 'základ' evolved from 'klad,' meaning 'treasure' or 'property'. In modern Czech, it also means 'principle' or 'ingredient'. | |||
Estonian | alus | ||
"Alus" can also mean "beginning" or "bottom" in Estonian, and is related to the Finnish word "alus" meaning "lower part" or "foundation". | |||
Finnish | perusta | ||
The word 'perusta' is cognate with the Proto-Finnic and Proto-Uralic word meaning the foundation of a house. | |||
Hungarian | alapján | ||
The word "alapján" originally meant "on the foot". | |||
Latvian | pamata | ||
In some cases, pamata means "ground". | |||
Lithuanian | pagrindu | ||
The word "pagrindu" comes from the Proto-Indo-European root "*bʰerǵʰ- " meaning "to support". | |||
Macedonian | основа | ||
The word "основа" can also refer to the foundation of a building or the basis of a belief system. | |||
Polish | podstawa | ||
In mathematics, "podstawa" can also refer to the base of a power or logarithm. | |||
Romanian | bază | ||
The Romanian word "bază" comes from the French word "base", which in turn comes from the Latin word "basis", meaning "foundation". | |||
Russian | основа | ||
The Russian word "основа" is related to weaving and means "warp", i.e. the threads in a loom that run lengthwise and are crossed by the woof. | |||
Serbian | основа | ||
The word "основа" can also refer to a foundation, a ground, or a principle. | |||
Slovak | základe | ||
The word "základe" can also mean "foundation" or "principle". | |||
Slovenian | podlagi | ||
The word "podlagi" is also used in the sense of "basis of a claim" or "evidence" in Slovenian. | |||
Ukrainian | основою | ||
The Ukrainian word "основою" can also mean "foundation" or "principle". |
Bengali | ভিত্তি | ||
The word 'ভিত্তি' ('bitti' in Bengali) is derived from the Sanskrit word 'vittasthiti', meaning 'to stand on property'. This also refers to a type of land revenue in India during the British colonial period. | |||
Gujarati | આધાર | ||
The word "આધાર" is derived from the Sanskrit word "आधार" which means "support" or "foundation". | |||
Hindi | आधार | ||
The word "आधार" also means "foundation" or "source" in Hindi. | |||
Kannada | ಆಧಾರ | ||
"ಆಧಾರ" is derived from the Sanskrit word "आधार" meaning "support". It can also mean "evidence" or "foundation". | |||
Malayalam | അടിസ്ഥാനം | ||
The Sanskrit origin of the term "അടിസ്ഥാനം" alludes to its foundational significance, reinforcing the concept of its stability and unyielding nature. | |||
Marathi | आधार | ||
"आधार" (basis) in Marathi also means "support", "foundation", "proof", and "evidence". | |||
Nepali | आधार | ||
In linguistics, 'आधार' can also refer to the base form of a word before any affixes are added. | |||
Punjabi | ਅਧਾਰ | ||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | පදනමක් | ||
පදනමක් has an alternate meaning of "foundation" and comes from Sanskrit "pad" (foot, foundation, origin) | |||
Tamil | அடிப்படையில் | ||
Telugu | ఆధారంగా | ||
The word "ఆధారంగా" can also mean "support", "proof", or "grounds". | |||
Urdu | بنیاد | ||
The word بنياد (ba-nyaad) in Urdu holds similar connotations, signifying not just the physical or conceptual foundation but also a person's lineage and ancestral heritage. |
Chinese (Simplified) | 基础 | ||
基础 (jīchǔ) can also mean "foundation", "groundwork", or "premise". | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 基礎 | ||
基礎 can also mean foundation, foot, origin, or essence. | |||
Japanese | 基礎 | ||
The word "基礎" (basis) in Japanese derives from the Chinese word "基" (origin), and can also mean "groundwork" or "foundation". | |||
Korean | 기초 | ||
The word "기초" (basis) also means "foundation" or "groundwork". | |||
Mongolian | суурь | ||
In some Mongolian dialects, "суурь" can also mean "foundation" or "source". | |||
Myanmar (Burmese) | အခြေခံ | ||
The word ခြေခံ (basis) is derived from the Sanskrit word 'adhisthana' through Pali, and can also mean 'foundation', 'footing', 'groundwork' or 'stand'. |
Indonesian | dasar | ||
The Indonesian word "dasar" has another meaning, "bottom," which shares the same etymology as the English word "ground." | |||
Javanese | dhasar | ||
The Javanese word 'dhasar' also has the meaning of 'source', 'origin', and 'foundation'. | |||
Khmer | មូលដ្ឋាន | ||
The word “basis” originates from the Greek word “basis,” which means “foundation” or “step.” | |||
Lao | ພື້ນຖານ | ||
The etymological root of "ພື້ນຖານ" is "ພື້ນ" meaning "earth". In addition to the meaning of "basis," it also means "groundwork". In ancient times, Lao people built houses with solid ground bases. | |||
Malay | asas | ||
The term "asas" can refer to a variety of concepts, including fundamentals, pillars, rules, elements, sources, principles, and laws. | |||
Thai | พื้นฐาน | ||
พื้นฐาน is a multivalent noun that refers to the bottom of a container's interior surface or the physical characteristics that make a person, animal, or object attractive. | |||
Vietnamese | nền tảng | ||
The word "nền tảng" also means "foundation" or "platform" in Vietnamese. | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | batayan | ||
Azerbaijani | əsas | ||
"Əsas" also means "original" in Azerbaijani. | |||
Kazakh | негіз | ||
The word "негіз" also means "root" or "foundation" in Kazakh. | |||
Kyrgyz | негиз | ||
Kyrgyz "негиз" comes from the Persian "nagis" which means "drawing". | |||
Tajik | асос | ||
The Tajik word "asoс" also refers to the base of a mountain. | |||
Turkmen | esas | ||
Uzbek | asos | ||
In Uzbek, "asos" also refers to a rule or a basic principle. | |||
Uyghur | ئاساسى | ||
Hawaiian | kumu | ||
In Hawaiian, the word "kumu" not only means "basis" but also refers to a teacher or professor, highlighting the connection between knowledge and its foundation. | |||
Maori | pūtake | ||
The verb form 'pūtake' can mean to emerge from something. | |||
Samoan | faʻavae | ||
Faʻavae is also commonly used in Samoan phrases, often with the prefixed preposition 'ia', meaning 'based on'. | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | batayan | ||
The Tagalog word "batayan" can also refer to a landmark or a guide. |
Aymara | ukax mä base ukhamawa | ||
Guarani | base rehegua | ||
Esperanto | bazo | ||
The word "bazo" is related to the Greek words "basis" (βάσις) and "base" (βάση). | |||
Latin | ex | ||
The Latin word "ex" can also mean "from" or "out of". |
Greek | βάση | ||
The word "βάση" (basis) in Greek, besides its mathematical meaning, can also refer to the foundation or pedestal of a statue, a military camp, or a source of supply. | |||
Hmong | lub hauv paus | ||
The word "lub hauv paus" can also refer to a foundational principle, law, or belief. | |||
Kurdish | bingeh | ||
The term 'bingeh' is also used to refer to the foundation of a building or the bottom layer of something. | |||
Turkish | temel | ||
Temel can also refer to a "bedrock" or "foundation" of a building or organization in Turkish. | |||
Xhosa | isiseko | ||
The word "isiseko" is also used in Xhosa to mean "foundation" or "cornerstone." | |||
Yiddish | יקער | ||
The Yiddish word "יקער" also means "root" or "source". | |||
Zulu | isisekelo | ||
The word "isisekelo" in Zulu has additional meanings, including "foundation" and "origin". | |||
Assamese | ভিত্তি | ||
Aymara | ukax mä base ukhamawa | ||
Bhojpuri | आधार पर बा | ||
Dhivehi | އަސާސެވެ | ||
Dogri | आधार | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | batayan | ||
Guarani | base rehegua | ||
Ilocano | batayan | ||
Krio | besis fɔ du sɔntin | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | بنەما | ||
Maithili | आधार | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯕꯦꯁꯤꯁꯇꯥ ꯌꯨꯝꯐꯝ ꯑꯣꯏꯕꯥ꯫ | ||
Mizo | basis a ni | ||
Oromo | bu’uura | ||
Odia (Oriya) | ଆଧାର | ||
Quechua | base nisqapi | ||
Sanskrit | आधारः | ||
Tatar | нигез | ||
Tigrinya | መሰረት | ||
Tsonga | xisekelo | ||