base·ment [basementbasements] BrE [ˈbeɪsmənt] NAmE [ˈbeɪsmənt] noun a room or rooms in a building, partly or completely below the level of the ground •Kitchen goods are sold in the basement. •a basement flat/apartment see also ↑bargain basement
Word Origin: mid 18th cent.: probably from archaic Dutch basement ‘foundation’, perhaps from Italian basamento ‘column base’.
Thesaurus: basement noun C •Kitchen goods are sold in the basement. cellar • • bunker • • crypt • in a basement/cellar/bunker/crypt the basement/cellar door/stairs/steps Basement or cellar? A basement is usually an underground level in a large modern building; a cellar is usually an underground room for storing things, especially in an older building.
Example Bank: •bargain basement prices •She lives in a two-room basement flat.