# elementary

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˌɛlɪˈmɛntəɹi/ · frequency rank #4,081

## Definitions
1. Relating to the basic, essential or fundamental part of something.
2. Very simple.
3. Relating to an elementary school.
4. Fundamental: serving as a building block for more complicated structures or processes.
5. Fundamental: serving as a building block for more complicated structures or processes.
6. Fundamental: serving as a building block for more complicated structures or processes.
7. Fundamental: serving as a building block for more complicated structures or processes.
8. Fundamental: serving as a building block for more complicated structures or processes.
9. Straightforward, employing only basic techniques; not requiring substantial knowledge (of some particular domain, object, etc.).
10. Straightforward, employing only basic techniques; not requiring substantial knowledge (of some particular domain, object, etc.).
11. Sublunary; not celestial; belonging to the sublunary sphere, to which the four classical elements (earth, air, fire and water) were confined; composed of or pertaining to these four elements.

## Etymology
From Middle English elementare, from Latin elementārius (“elementary”), from elementum (“one of the four elements of antiquity; fundamentals”) + -ārius (adjective-forming suffix). Cognate with French élémentaire. By surface analysis, element + -ary.

## Easily confused with
- **elemental** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/elemental-vs-elementary)

## Common misspellings (15)
`eelmentary`, `eleemntary`, `elemenatry`, `elemenntary`, `elementarry`, `elementaryy`, `elementayr`, `elementray`, `elementtary`, `elemetnary`, `elemmentary`, `elemnetary`, `ellementary`, `elmeentary`, `leementary`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/elementary