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rudiments
When referring to knowledge, this word is more formal than "basics" or "fundamentals." It suggests the absolute starting point of a discipline, often implying a level of simplicity that must be mastered before any advanced study can occur. It is frequently used in academic or professional contexts to describe the foundational building blocks of a skill.
In a biological or anatomical context, the word describes a structure that is in its earliest stage of development or one that has remained underdeveloped (vestigial). This usage is technical and primarily found in scientific literature, medicine, or evolutionary biology.
Grammatically, "rudiments" is almost always used in the plural form when referring to the basics of a subject. Using it in the singular ("the rudiment of") is rare and typically reserved for specific biological descriptions of a single undeveloped organ.
Meanings
Examples
You need to master the rudiments of grammar before writing a novel.
The course covers the rudiments of organic chemistry.
He has a firm grasp of the rudiments of accounting.
He has a firm grasp of the rudiments of accounting.
These structures are merely the rudiments of a complex organ.
I wonder if these are the rudiments of a new species.