rudiment

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ru·di·ment / ˈroōdəmənt/ • n. 1. (the rudiments of) the first principles of a subject: she taught the girls the rudiments of reading and writing. ∎  an elementary or primitive form of something: the rudiments of a hot-water system.2. Biol. an undeveloped or immature part or organ, esp. a structure in an embryo or larva that will develop into an organ, limb, etc.: the fetal lung rudiment.3. Mus. a basic pattern used by drummers, such as the roll, the flam, and the paradiddle.