A statement of fundamental facts or principles.

synonym: basics.

Roget 490: knowledge; cognizance, cognition, cognoscence^†; acquaintance, experience, ken [Scot.], privity^†, insight, familiarity; comprehension, apprehension; recognition; appreciation etc. (judgment) 480; intuition; conscience, consciousness; perception, precognition; acroamatics^†.    light, enlightenment; glimpse, inkling; glimmer, glimmering; dawn; scent, suspicion; impression etc. (idea) 453; discovery etc. 480.1. system of knowledge, body of knowledge; science, philosophy, pansophy^†; acroama^†; theory, aetiology^†, etiology; circle of the sciences; pandect^†, doctrine, body of doctrine; cyclopedia, encyclopedia; school etc. (system of opinions) 484.    tree of knowledge; republic of letters etc. (language) 560.    erudition, learning, lore, scholarship, reading, letters; literature; book madness; book learning, bookishness; bibliomania^†, bibliolatry^†; information, general information; store of knowledge &c.; education etc. (teaching) 537; culture, menticulture^†, attainments; acquirements, acquisitions; accomplishments; proficiency; practical knowledge etc. (skill) 698; liberal education; dilettantism; rudiments etc. (beginning) 66.    deep knowledge, profound knowledge, solid knowledge, accurate knowledge, acroatic knowledge^†, acroamatic knowledge^†, vast knowledge, extensive knowledge, encyclopedic knowledge, encyclopedic learning; omniscience, pantology^†.    march of intellect; progress of science, advance of science, advance of learning; schoolmaster abroad.    [person who knows much] scholar etc. 492.    ... show more

Roget 542: school, academy, university, alma mater, college, seminary, Lyceum; institute, institution; palaestra, Gymnasium, class, seminar.    day school, boarding school, preparatory school, primary school, infant school, dame's school, grammar school, middle class school, Board school, denominational school, National school, British and Foreign school, collegiate school, art school, continuation school, convent school, County Council school, government school, grant-in-aid school, high school, higher grade school, military school, missionary school, naval school, naval academy, state-aided school, technical school, voluntary school, school; school of art; kindergarten, nursery, creche, reformatory.    pulpit, lectern, soap box desk, reading desk, ambo^†, lecture room, theater, auditorium, amphitheater, forum, state, rostrum, platform, hustings, tribune.    school book, horn book, text book; grammar, primer, abecedary^†, rudiments, manual, vade mecum; encyclopedia, cyclopedia; Lindley Murray, Cocker; dictionary, lexicon.    professorship, lectureship, readership, fellowship, tutorship; chair.    School Board Council of Education; Board of Education; Board of Studies, Prefect of Studies; Textbook Committee; propaganda.    ... show more

Dutch: abc, alfabet, basiskennis

The elementary stages of any subject (usually plural):
— He mastered only the rudiments of geometry.

synonyms: ABC, ABC's, ABCs, alphabet, first principles.

Roget 66: beginning, commencement, opening, outset, incipience, inception, inchoation^†; introduction etc. (precursor) 64; alpha, initial; inauguration, debut, le premier pas, embarcation [Fr.], rising of the curtain; maiden speech; outbreak, onset, brunt; initiative, move, first move; narrow end of the wedge, thin end of the wedge; fresh start, new departure.    origin etc. (cause) 153; source, rise; bud, germ etc. 153; egg, rudiment; genesis, primogenesis^†, birth, nativity, cradle, infancy; start, inception, creation, starting point etc. 293; dawn etc. (morning) 125; evolution.    title-page; head, heading; van etc. (front) 234; caption, fatihah^†.    entrance, entry; inlet, orifice, mouth, chops, lips, porch, portal, portico, propylon^†, door; gate, gateway; postern, wicket, threshold, vestibule; propylaeum^†; skirts, border etc. (edge) 231.    first stage, first blush, first glance, first impression, first sight.    rudiments, elements, outlines, grammar, alphabet, ABC.    ... show more

Dutch: alfabet, ABC
Polish: narząd szczątkowy, rudyment