base level

American

noun

Geology.

the lowest level to which running water can erode the land.

base level British

noun

the lowest level to which a land surface can be eroded by streams, which is, ultimately, sea level

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of base level

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"That was the idea: to create confusion and generate skepticism at the base level by distorting certain elements of real things."

From Barron's

Emma Raducanu is hoping to develop a better base level in 2026 so she can dictate matches more frequently and worry less about the strengths of her opponent.

From BBC

"He wants me to focus a lot more on building a better Emma Raducanu and a better base level," the 23-year-old said.

From BBC

“Boiled down to the base level, yeah, you kick a ball through the pipes,” said Dicker, 25, whose team plays host Sunday to the Indianapolis Colts.

From Los Angeles Times

“I was at a base level,” he says, “and the creature is born.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023