English
fundamental
Fundamental comes from Late Latin fundāmentālis ‘foundation’, from Latin fundus ‘bottom’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dʰewbʰ- ‘deep’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰewbʰ-‘deep’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰudʰmḗn‘bottom’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰudʰnósreconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰundʰósreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*fundosreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfundus‘bottom’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEfundō‘to lay the foundation, to found’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEfundāmentum‘foundation’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEfundāmentālis‘foundation’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500foundamental
- Englishearliest quotation 1722fundamental
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰewbʰ-‘deep’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰudʰmḗn‘bottom’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰudʰnósreconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰundʰósreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*fundosreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfundus‘bottom’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEfundō‘to lay the foundation, to found’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEfundāmentum‘foundation’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEfundāmentālis‘foundation’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500foundamental
- Englishearliest quotation 1722fundamental
Earliest quotation: 1722, John Locke, The Works of John Locke ...: With Alphabetical Tables ...: “When any one offers me a compleat Catalogue of…”
Equivalent to fundament + -al
Proto-Indo-European *bʰudʰmḗn ‘bottom’
…
Latin fundus ‘bottom, lowest point’
Latin fundō ‘to lay the bottom, to found’
Latin fundāmentum ‘foundation’
Old French fundement
English fundament
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *dʰewbʰ- ‘deep’
deep, depth, dumb, dave, dip, deaf, dove, dub, bottomless, typhus, doof, 20 more
through Proto-Indo-European *bʰudʰmḗn ‘bottom’
through Proto-Indo-European *bʰudʰnós
through Proto-Italic *fundos
through Latin fundus ‘bottom’
fond, honda, profundity, fundus, 10 more
through Latin fundō ‘to lay the foundation, to found’
foundation, founder, confusion, fusion, confuse, refund, funnel, diffuse, infuse, confound, 46 more
Today it means
noun A basic truth, elementary concept, principle, rule, or law. An individual fundamental will often serve as a building block used to form a complex idea.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *dʰewbʰ- / fundamental