Definition of "fundamental" []

• Of or relating to the foundation or base; elementary: the fundamental laws of the universe. (adjective)
• Forming or serving as an essential component of a system or structure; central: an example that was fundamental to the argument. (adjective)
• Of great significance or entailing major change: a book that underwent fundamental revision. (adjective)
• Physics Of or relating to the component of lowest frequency of a periodic wave or quantity. (adjective)
• Physics Of or relating to the lowest possible frequency of a vibrating element or system. (adjective)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Here we join issue with those Socialist writers who advocate the endowment of motherhood and give it their own meaning; and that is why in a preceding paragraph the word fundamental has been emphasized, since in the endowment of motherhood as understood by socialists there are two principles, one which I call fundamental, and a second -- that the endowment shall be by the State -- which now falls to be considered."
• "There's no real harm in the use of the term fundamental in this context, but this is about where the word gets elevated beyond its usefulness and starts becoming a hurdle to progress, and then a barrier."
• "But, of course, the danger in messing with anything this fundamental is the possibility of royally screwing things up."