Base"ment (&?;), n. [F. soubassement. Of uncertain origin. Cf. Base, a., Bastion.]
(Arch.)
The outer wall of the ground story of a building, or of a part of that story, when treated as a distinct
substructure. (See Base, n., 3
(a).) Hence: The rooms of a ground floor, collectively.
Basement membrane
(Anat.), a delicate
membrane composed of a single layer of flat
cells, forming the substratum upon which, in many organs, the epithelioid cells are disposed.
Hear it pronounced