Base vs. Basis: What's the Difference?
Edited by Harlon Moss || By Janet White || Updated on September 28, 2023
"Base" refers to the bottom or foundation of something, while "Basis" means the fundamental principle or groundwork supporting an idea or system.
Key Differences
"Base" and "Basis" are two words in the English language that, while related, have distinct uses and meanings. Their nuanced differences can be seen in the various contexts they are applied to.
"Base" often alludes to the bottom part or foundation of a physical structure or object. A mountain has a base, as does a building. Conversely, "Basis" typically speaks to a foundational principle, reason, or groundwork. It's an underpinning for arguments, decisions, or systems.
When considering the word "Base," it can also signify a main ingredient in preparations like makeup or even a primary element in various contexts. On the other hand, "Basis" leans more towards the abstract, referring often to foundational truths or reasons. For instance, a decision might be made on the basis of certain evidence.
In mathematics, "Base" might be used to refer to the number that gets multiplied by itself, as in exponents. "Basis," in contrast, can be employed in linear algebra, describing a set of vectors.
Conclusively, while both "Base" and "Basis" deal with foundations, "Base" is more tangible and "Basis" more conceptual, serving as a premise or rationale behind something.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
The bottom or foundation of something.
The fundamental principle or groundwork.
Part of Speech
Noun/Verb
Noun
Common Usage
Refers to physical foundations or main ingredients.
Used to describe the main reason or principle behind something.
In Mathematics
The number used in exponentiation.
Set of vectors in linear algebra.
Conceptual vs. Physical
More physical or tangible.
More conceptual or abstract.
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Base and Basis Definitions
Base
The bottom support of anything.
The vase has a wide base to prevent tipping.
Basis
The fundamental principle or groundwork.
Respect is the basis of our relationship.
Base
Main ingredient or element.
Water is the base of this soup.
Basis
The main reason or cause.
The decision was made on the basis of facts.
Base
A center of operations or activities.
The army set up a base in the desert.
Basis
A fixed pattern or system.
She works on a rotational basis.
Base
In mathematics, the number used as the repeated factor.
In 2^3, 2 is the base.
Basis
The underlying condition or state.
A daily basis involves routine tasks.
Base
The lowest or bottom part
The base of a cliff.
The base of a lamp.
Basis
A fact or circumstance on which something is established
Rumors with no basis in reality.
Base
The part of a plant or animal organ that is nearest to its point of attachment.
Basis
A physical base or foundation.
Base
The point of attachment of such an organ.
Basis
A starting point, base or foundation for an argument or hypothesis.
Base
A supporting part or layer; a foundation
A skyscraper built on a base of solid rock.
Basis
An underlying condition or circumstance.
Base
A basic or underlying element; infrastructure
The nation's industrial base.
Basis
A regular frequency.
You should brush your teeth on a daily basis at minimum.
The flights to Fiji leave on a weekly basis.
Cars must be checked on a yearly basis.
Base
The fundamental principle or underlying concept of a system or theory; a basis.
Basis
The difference between the cash price a dealer pays to a farmer for his produce and an agreed reference price, which is usually the futures price at which the given crop is trading at a commodity exchange.
Base
A fundamental ingredient; a chief constituent
A paint with an oil base.
Basis
(linear algebra) In a vector space, a linearly independent set of vectors spanning the whole vector space.
Base
The fact, observation, or premise from which a reasoning process is begun.
Basis
(accounting) Amount paid for an investment, including commissions and other expenses.
Base
(Games) A starting point, safety area, or goal.
Basis
(topology) A collection of subsets ("basis elements") of a set, such that this collection covers the set, and for any two basis elements which both contain an element of the set, there is a third basis element contained in the intersection of the first two, which also contains that element.
The collection of all possible unions of basis elements of a basis is said to be the topology generated by that basis.
Base
(Baseball) Any one of the four corners of an infield, marked by a bag or plate, that must be touched by a runner before a run can be scored.
Basis
The foundation of anything; that on which a thing rests.
Base
A center of organization, supply, or activity; a headquarters.
Basis
The pedestal of a column, pillar, or statue.
If no basis bear my rising name.
Base
The portion of a social organization, especially a political party, consisting of the most dedicated or motivated members.
Basis
The groundwork; the first or fundamental principle; that which supports.
The basis of public credit is good faith.
Base
A fortified center of operations.
Basis
The principal component part of a thing.
Base
A supply center for a large force of military personnel.
Basis
A relation that provides the foundation for something;
They were on a friendly footing
He worked on an interim basis
Base
A facial cosmetic used to even out the complexion or provide a surface for other makeup; a foundation.
Basis
The fundamental assumptions from which something is begun or developed or calculated or explained;
The whole argument rested on a basis of conjecture
Base
(Architecture) The lowest part of a structure, such as a wall, considered as a separate unit
The base of a column.
Basis
The most important or necessary part of something;
The basis of this drink is orange juice
Base
(Heraldry) The lower part of a shield.
Basis
In linear algebra, a set of vectors from which others can be generated.
He studied the basis of the vector space in class.
Base
(Linguistics) A morpheme or morphemes regarded as a form to which affixes or other bases may be added.
Base
The side or face of a geometric figure to which an altitude is or is thought to be drawn.
Base
The number that is raised to various powers to generate the principal counting units of a number system. The base of the decimal system, for example, is 10.
Base
The number raised to the logarithm of a designated number in order to produce that designated number; the number at which a chosen logarithmic scale has the value 1.
Base
A line used as a reference for measurement or computations.
Base
Any of a class of compounds whose aqueous solutions are characterized by a bitter taste, a slippery feel, the ability to turn litmus blue, and the ability to react with acids to form salts.
Base
A substance that yields hydroxide ions when dissolved in water.
Base
A substance that can act as a proton acceptor.
Base
A substance that can donate a pair of electrons to form a covalent bond.
Base
The region in a transistor between the emitter and the collector.
Base
The electrode attached to this region.
Base
One of the nitrogen-containing purines (adenine and guanine) or pyrimidines (cytosine, thymine, and uracil) that occurs attached to the sugar component of DNA or RNA.
Base
A bass singer or voice.
Base
Forming or serving as a base
A base layer of soil.
Base
Situated at or near the base or bottom
A base camp for the mountain climbers.
Base
(Chemistry) Of, relating to, or containing a base.
Base
Having or showing a lack of decency; contemptible, mean-spirited, or selfish.
Base
Being a metal that is of little value.
Base
Containing such metals
Base coins.
Base
(Archaic) Of low birth, rank, or position.
Base
(Obsolete) Short in stature.
Base
To form or provide a base for
Based the new company in Portland.
Base
To find a basis for; establish
Based her conclusions on the report.
A film based on a best-selling novel.
Base
To assign to a base; station
Troops based in the Middle East.
Base
Something from which other things extend; a foundation.
Base
A supporting, lower or bottom component of a structure or object.
Base
The starting point of a logical deduction or thought; basis.
Base
A permanent structure for housing military personnel and material.
Base
The place where decisions for an organization are made; headquarters.
Base
A basic but essential component or ingredient.
Base
A substance used as a mordant in dyeing.
Base
(cosmetics) Foundation: a cosmetic cream to make the face appear uniform.
Base
(chemistry) Any of a class of generally water-soluble compounds, having bitter taste, that turn red litmus blue, and react with acids to form salts.
Base
Important areas in games and sports.
Base
A safe zone in the children's games of tag and hide-and-go-seek.
Base
(baseball) One of the four places that a runner can stand without being subject to being tagged out when the ball is in play.
Base
(architecture) The lowermost part of a column, between the shaft and the pedestal or pavement.
Base
A nucleotide's nucleobase in the context of a DNA or RNA biopolymer.
Base
(botany) The end of a leaf, petal or similar organ where it is attached to its support.
Base
(electronics) The name of the controlling terminal of a bipolar transistor (BJT).
Base
(geometry) The lowest side of a triangle or other polygon, or the lowest face of a cone, pyramid or other polyhedron laid flat.
Base
(heraldry) The lowest third of a shield or escutcheon.
Base
(heraldry) The lower part of the field. See escutcheon.
Base
(mathematics) A number raised to the power of an exponent.
The logarithm to base 2 of 8 is 3.
Base
(mathematics) radix.
Base
(topology) The set of sets from which a topology is generated.
Base
(topology) A topological space, looked at in relation to one of its covering spaces, fibrations, or bundles.
Base
(group theory) A sequence of elements not jointly stabilized by any nontrivial group element.
Base
In hand-to-hand balance, the person who supports the flyer; the person that remains in contact with the ground.
Base
(linguistics) A morpheme (or morphemes) that serves as a basic foundation on which affixes can be attached.
Base
(music) bass
Base
The smallest kind of cannon.
Base
(archaic) The housing of a horse.
Base
A kind of skirt (often of velvet or brocade, but sometimes of mail or other armour) which hung from the middle to about the knees, or lower.
Base
(obsolete) The lower part of a robe or petticoat.
Base
(obsolete) An apron.
Base
A line in a survey which, being accurately determined in length and position, serves as the origin from which to compute the distances and positions of any points or objects connected with it by a system of triangles.
Base
(politics) A group of voters who almost always support a single party's candidates for elected office.
Base
(Marxism) The forces and relations of production that produce the necessities and amenities of life.
Base
A material that holds paint or other materials together; a binder.
Base
(aviation) base leg
Base
(slang) freebase cocaine
Base
The game of prisoners' bars.
Base
Alternative form of BASE
Base
(transitive) To give as its foundation or starting point; to lay the foundation of.
Base
(transitive) To be located (at a particular place).
Base
To act as a base; to be the person supporting the flyer.
Base
(slang) To freebase.
Base
(obsolete) Low in height; short.
Base
Low in place or position.
Base
(obsolete) Of low value or degree.
Base
(archaic) Of low social standing or rank; vulgar, common.
Base
Morally reprehensible, immoral; cowardly.
Base
Inferior; unworthy, of poor quality.
Base
(of a metal) Not considered precious or noble.
Base
Alloyed with inferior metal; debased.
Base coin
Base bullion
Base
(obsolete) Of illegitimate birth; bastard.
Base
Not classical or correct.
Base
Obsolete form of bass
The base tone of a violin
Base
(legal) Not held by honourable service.
A base estate is one held by services not honourable, or held by villenage. Such a tenure is called base, or low, and the tenant is a base tenant.
Base
Of little, or less than the usual, height; of low growth; as, base shrubs.
Base
Low in place or position.
Base
Of humble birth; or low degree; lowly; mean.
Base
Illegitimate by birth; bastard.
Why bastard? wherefore base?
Base
Of little comparative value, as metal inferior to gold and silver, the precious metals.
Base
Alloyed with inferior metal; debased; as, base coin; base bullion.
Base
Morally low. Hence: Low-minded; unworthy; without dignity of sentiment; ignoble; mean; illiberal; menial; as, a base fellow; base motives; base occupations.
Base
Not classical or correct.
Base
Deep or grave in sound; as, the base tone of a violin.
Base
Not held by honorable service; as, a base estate, one held by services not honorable; held by villenage. Such a tenure is called base, or low, and the tenant, a base tenant.
Base
The bottom of anything, considered as its support, or that on which something rests for support; the foundation; as, the base of a statue.
Base
Fig.: The fundamental or essential part of a thing; the essential principle; a groundwork.
Base
The lower part of a wall, pier, or column, when treated as a separate feature, usually in projection, or especially ornamented.
Base
That extremity of a leaf, fruit, etc., at which it is attached to its support.
Base
The positive, or non-acid component of a salt; a substance which, combined with an acid, neutralizes the latter and forms a salt; - applied also to the hydroxides of the positive elements or radicals, and to certain organic bodies resembling them in their property of forming salts with acids.
Base
The chief ingredient in a compound.
Base
A substance used as a mordant.
Base
The exterior side of the polygon, or that imaginary line which connects the salient angles of two adjacent bastions.
Base
The line or surface constituting that part of a figure on which it is supposed to stand.
Base
The number from which a mathematical table is constructed; as, the base of a system of logarithms.
Base
A low, or deep, sound. (Mus.) (a) The lowest part; the deepest male voice. (b) One who sings, or the instrument which plays, base.
The trebles squeak for fear, the bases roar.
Base
A place or tract of country, protected by fortifications, or by natural advantages, from which the operations of an army proceed, forward movements are made, supplies are furnished, etc.
Base
The smallest kind of cannon.
Base
That part of an organ by which it is attached to another more central organ.
Base
The basal plane of a crystal.
Base
The ground mass of a rock, especially if not distinctly crystalline.
Base
The lower part of the field. See Escutcheon.
Base
The housing of a horse.
Base
A kind of skirt (often of velvet or brocade, but sometimes of mailed armor) which hung from the middle to about the knees, or lower.
Base
The lower part of a robe or petticoat.
Base
An apron.
Base
The point or line from which a start is made; a starting place or a goal in various games.
To their appointed base they went.
Base
A line in a survey which, being accurately determined in length and position, serves as the origin from which to compute the distances and positions of any points or objects connected with it by a system of triangles.
Base
A rustic play; - called also prisoner's base, prison base, or bars.
Base
Any one of the four bounds which mark the circuit of the infield.
Base
To put on a base or basis; to lay the foundation of; to found, as an argument or conclusion; - used with on or upon.
Base
To abase; to let, or cast, down; to lower.
If any . . . based his pike.
Base
To reduce the value of; to debase.
Metals which we can not base.
Base
Any of various water-soluble compounds capable of turning litmus blue and reacting with an acid to form a salt and water;
Bases include oxides and hydroxides of metals and ammonia
Base
Installation from which a military force initiates operations;
The attack wiped out our forward bases
Base
Lowest support of a structure;
It was built on a base of solid rock
He stood at the foot of the tower
Base
Place that runner must touch before scoring;
He scrambled to get back to the bag
Base
(numeration system) the positive integer that is equivalent to one in the next higher counting place;
10 is the radix of the decimal system
Base
The bottom or lowest part;
The base of the mountain
Base
(anatomy) the part of an organ nearest its point of attachment;
The base of the skull
Base
A lower limit;
The government established a wage floor
Base
The fundamental assumptions from which something is begun or developed or calculated or explained;
The whole argument rested on a basis of conjecture
Base
A support or foundation;
The base of the lamp
Base
The bottom side of a geometric figure from which the altitude can be constructed;
The base of the triangle
Base
The most important or necessary part of something;
The basis of this drink is orange juice
Base
The place where you are stationed and from which missions start and end
Base
An intensely anti-western terrorist network that dispenses money and logistical support and training to a wide variety of radical Islamic terrorist group; has cells in more than 50 countries
Base
(linguistics) the form of a word after all affixes are removed;
Thematic vowels are part of the stem
Base
The stock of basic facilities and capital equipment needed for the functioning of a country or area;
The industrial base of Japan
Base
The principal ingredient of a mixture;
Glycerinated gelatin is used as a base for many ointments
He told the painter that he wanted a yellow base with just a hint of green
Everything she cooked seemed to have rice as the base
Base
A flat bottom on which something is intended to sit;
A tub should sit on its own base
Base
(electronics) the part of a transistor that separates the emitter from the collector
Base
Use as a basis for; found on;
Base a claim on some observation
Base
Use (purified cocaine) by burning it and inhaling the fumes
Base
Assign to a station
Base
Serving as or forming a base;
The painter applied a base coat followed by two finishing coats
Base
(used of metals) consisting of or alloyed with inferior metal;
Base coins of aluminum
A base metal
Base
Of low birth or station (`base' is archaic in this sense);
Baseborn wretches with dirty faces
Of humble (or lowly) birth
Base
Not adhering to ethical or moral principles;
Base and unpatriotic motives
A base, degrading way of life
Cheating is dishonorable
They considered colonialism immoral
Unethical practices in handling public funds
Base
Having or showing an ignoble lack of honor or morality;
That liberal obedience without which your army would be a base rabble
Taking a mean advantage
Chok'd with ambition of the meaner sort
Something essentially vulgar and meanspirited in politics
Base
Illegitimate
Base
Debased; not genuine;
An attempt to eliminate the base coinage
Base
Starting point or foundation for something.
We made the treehouse's base from strong oak.
FAQs
Is "Basis" typically tangible or intangible?
"Basis" is more often intangible, referring to concepts or reasons.
What does "on a regular basis" mean?
It means routinely or frequently.
Can "Base" have a mathematical meaning?
Yes, as in the number used in exponentiation.
Can "Base" refer to a location?
Yes, such as a military base or home base in baseball.
What's a "basis point" in finance?
It's 1/100th of a percentage point.
Can "Base" indicate the main part of something?
Yes, like the base model of a car.
Can "Base" mean low or inferior?
In some contexts, "base" can mean morally low.
Can "Basis" be a set in mathematics?
Yes, especially in linear algebra to describe vectors.
Is a "Base" always the bottom part?
Typically, but it can also mean the main or starting part.
Can "Base" be used in cooking contexts?
Yes, as in "tomato is the base for the sauce."
Does "Basis" imply a foundational reason?
Yes, it often refers to the main reason or principle.
How is "Base" used in chemistry?
It refers to substances that can accept protons or donate pairs of electrons.
Is "Basis" used in legal contexts?
Yes, to describe the main reason or grounds for something.
Can "Base" and "Basis" be used interchangeably?
Not always, as they have distinct nuances and applications.
How do "basis of" and "base for" differ?
"Basis of" usually implies a reasoning, while "base for" is often more tangible.
About Author
Written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Edited by
Harlon MossHarlon is a seasoned quality moderator and accomplished content writer for Difference Wiki. An alumnus of the prestigious University of California, he earned his degree in Computer Science. Leveraging his academic background, Harlon brings a meticulous and informed perspective to his work, ensuring content accuracy and excellence.
