rudiment Copy link Outline 1. ĕlĕmentum2. ĭnĭtium3. sēmen4. prīmordium5. rŭdīmentum6. exordium7. princĭpium • rudiment: the beginning of anything: 1. ĕlĕmentum: r.s of vices, vitiorum e., Juv. 14, 124: the r.s (beginnings) of Rome, prima Romae e., Ov. Fast. 3, 179. of learning, Hor. S. 1, 1, 26. 2. ĭnĭtium: Cic. Tusc. 5, 24, 69 (initia et tanquam semina unde omnia orta). 3. sēmen: Cic.: Lucr.: v. germ. 4. prīmordium: r.s of things, primordia rerum, Cic. Part. 2, 7. 5. rŭdīmentum: the first r.s of rhetoric, prima rhetorices r., Quint. 2, 5, 1. 6. exordium: r.s of all things, cunctarum exordia rerum, Lucr. 3, 31. 7. princĭpium: r.s of all great things, omnium rerum magnarum principia, Cic. Vat. 6, 14. Phr.: not having learnt even the r.s of logic, dialecticis ne imbutus quidem, Cic. Tusc. 1, 7, 14: a young man ought to be taught the r.s of those arts, infici debet iis artibus, id. Fin. 3, 2, 9: ignorant of the r.s, plane indoctus., id. de Or. 2, 2, 7: subjects of which they had not even learnt the mere r.s, quae ... ne primoribus quidem labris attigissent, ib. 1, 19, 87 (See also foll. art.)