Basis (noun) refers to the underlying support or foundation for something, or a reason or basis for a belief or decision. It denotes the groundwork that justifies or underpins a conclusion, plan, or argument. In usage, it can describe a methodological base, a rationale, or the set of conditions on which something is built or evaluated.
US: Rhoticity affects linking—/ˈbeɪ.sɪs/ may sound slightly more closed, with a stable /r/ absent; UK: Less rhotics in non- word-initial positions, but /ˈbeɪ.sɪs/ still uses a crisp /s/; AU: Tends toward a more centralized /ɪ/ and faster tempo, with less vowel length on /eɪ/. All share the same primary stress pattern. Use IPA as a reference for precision; in slow, careful speech, exaggerate the /eɪ/ diphthong, while in rapid speech, compress it slightly.
"The data provide a solid basis for their conclusions."
"She had no legal basis to sue the company."
"Safety is the basis of all our procedures."
"The agreement rests on the basis of mutual trust."
Basis comes from Late Latin basis, meaning a foundation or base, from Greek basis, meaning a step, base, pedestal. In classical Greek, basis referred to a pedestal or foot of a statue, extended metaphorically to the base or foundation of an argument. The term entered Latin as basis and spread to medieval Latin, where it retained the sense of a foundation for reasoning or construction. In English, basis took on its common modern sense of the underlying support or justification for a claim, plan, or action. Its usage intensified in legal, scientific, and philosophical contexts, where precise grounding is essential. The word is cognate with similar terms in Romance languages (basis in Italian? not common; more direct reflexes like base) and remains central in fields that require a clear, defendable footing for methods, results, and conclusions. First known uses in English appear in scholarly and legal writing from the 16th to 18th centuries, solidifying its modern nuance of justification and underpinning rather than merely a physical base.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Basis" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Basis"
-sis sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Basis is pronounced with two syllables: /ˈbeɪ.sɪs/. The primary stress is on the first syllable: BE- as in 'bay', followed by a short /sɪs/ like 'siss'. Keep the final /s/ light and crisp. In fast speech, you may hear a slight reduction to /ˈbeɪ.sɪz/ in some dialects, but the standard is /ˈbeɪ.sɪs/.
Common errors include: 1) stressing the second syllable (be-ˈsis) instead of the first; 2) mispronouncing the middle vowel as a long /iː/ or /i/ rather than a short /ɪ/; 3) final consonant blending into a voiceless 'z' or 's' sound. To correct: keep primary stress on BE, use a short /ɪ/ for the second syllable, and end with a crisp /s/ or /z/ depending on the following word, avoiding a heavy vowel in the final position.
In US/UK/AU, the first syllable remains /beɪ/ with a long A, but rhoticity can affect following vowels in connected speech; US speakers may link the /sɪs/ quickly, UK speakers may show slight vowel shortening, and Australian speakers might have a more centralized /ɪ/ and a shorter overall vowel duration. All share the /ˈbeɪ.sɪs/ pattern, with minor vowel quality shifts and rhythm differences.
The difficulty lies in the two-syllable structure with a strong initial stress and the mid /ɪ/ vowel in the second syllable, which is short and quick. Practicing with minimal pairs clarifies the transition from /beɪ/ to /sɪs/. Achieving natural final consonant clarity for the /s/ or /z/ requires careful mouth control to avoid a breathy, elongated ending. IPA awareness helps you tune the timing and quality.
For /ˈbeɪ.sɪs/: start with an open jaw for /beɪ/ using the tongue high in the front of the mouth to shape the long /eɪ/ diphthong. For /sɪs/, bring the tongue tip to the alveolar ridge, keep the teeth close without clamping, and gently release a crisp /s/. Avoid lip rounding and ensure a quick transition between syllables to maintain natural rhythm.
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