base and basis share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. base means “installation from which a military force initiates operations”. basis means “a relation that provides the foundation for something”. base is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈbeɪs/
1.n.installation from which a military force initiates operations
“the attack wiped out our forward bases”
2.n.lowest support of a structure
“it was built on a base of solid rock”
3.n.a place that the runner must touch before scoring
“he scrambled to get back to the bag”
/ˈbeɪsəs/
1.n.a relation that provides the foundation for something
“they were on a friendly footing”
2.n.the fundamental assumptions from which something is begun or developed or calculated or explained
“the whole argument rested on a basis of conjecture”
3.n.the most important or necessary part of something
“the basis of this drink is orange juice”
| base | basis | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈbeɪs/ | /ˈbeɪsəs/ |
| Said | bays | BAY-suhs |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Letters | 4 | 5 |
| Parts of speech | noun, adjective, verb | noun |
| Senses | 30 | 3 |
| How common | Core | Common |
| Synonyms | base of operations | footing, ground |
Full entry for base · Full entry for basis · More comparisons