basal
[ˈbeɪzəɫ]adjective, noun
basal is spelled B-A-S-A-L: 5 letters and 2 syllables. It appears 2.5 times per million words in written English, the 17,122nd most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, basal means “Basic, elementary; relating to, or forming, the base, or point of origin” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in basal?
| Letters | 5: B-A-S-A-L |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 2.5 times per million words; the 17,122nd most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Same letters |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is basal?
Basal appears 2.5 times per million words in written English, the 17,122nd most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce basal?
- UK [ˈbeɪsəɫ]
- US [ˈbeɪzəɫ]
Basal has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-basal.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with basal?
No other word on PlainSpell ends in the same sounds as basal.
Spelled with the same letters in another order: balsa, sabal, balas.
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of basal
- more basal comparative
- most basal superlative
- basals plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does basal mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Basic, elementary; relating to, or forming, the base, or point of origin.
This is the basal idea.
- 2
Associated with the base of an organism or structure.
In the spring, basal leaves emerge from a stout taproot.
- 3
Of a minimal level that is necessary for maintaining the health or life of an organism.
a basal diet
- 4
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.
noun
- 1
base, bottom, minimum
- 2
Any basal structure or part
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Basal in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does basal come from?
From base + -al.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).