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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

ba·sis       (bā'sĭs)  Pronunciation Key  n.   pl. ba·ses (-sēz') A foundation upon which something rests. The chief constituent; the fundamental ingredient: The basis for most liquids is water. The fundamental principle. A pattern or schedule for proceeding: on a weekly basis. A condition for relating or proceeding: a first-name basis; a friendly basis. See Synonyms at base1. [Middle English, from Latin, from Greek; see gwā- in Indo-European roots.]

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
basis 

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

basis
noun
1.	a relation that provides the foundation for something; "they were on a friendly footing"; "he worked on an interim basis" [syn: footing]
2.	the fundamental assumptions from which something is begun or developed or calculated or explained; "the whole argument rested on a basis of conjecture"
3.	the most important or necessary part of something; "the basis of this drink is orange juice"

American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms - Cite This Source - Share This

basis

see on a first-name basis.

The American Heritage Science Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

basis       (bā'sĭs)  Pronunciation Key  Plural bases (bā'sēz') A set of independent vectors whose linear combinations define a vector space, such as a reference frame used to establish a coordinate system.

American Heritage Stedman's Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

basis ba·sis (bā'sĭs)
n. pl. ba·ses (-sēz')
The foundation upon which something, such as an anatomical part, rests.

Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry: ba·sis
Pronunciation: 'bA-s&s
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural ba·ses /-"sEz/
1 : any of various anatomical parts that function as a foundation
2 : BASE 2b

Investopedia - Cite This Source - Share This

Basis

1. A term used to describe the variation between the spot price of a deliverable commodity and the relative price of the futures contract for the same actual that has the shortest duration until maturity.

2. A security's basis is the purchase price after commissions or other expenses. Also known as cost basis or tax basis.

Investopedia Commentary

1. As there are gaps between spot and relative price until expiry of the nearest contract, the basis is not necessarily accurate. In addition to the deviations created because of the time gap between expiry of the futures contract and the spot commodity, product quality, location of delivery, and the actuals may also vary. In general, the basis is used by investors to gauge the profitability of delivery of cash or the actual, and they also use it to search for arbitrage opportunities.

2. This figure is used to calculate capital gains or losses when a security is eventually sold.

Related Links

Futures Fundamentals
Trading the Odds with Arbitrage

See also: Actual, Arbitrage, Basis Grade, Basis Risk, Cash Settlement, Cost Basis, Delivery Month, Narrow Basis, Tax Basis, Wide Basis

Wallstreet Words - Cite This Source - Share This
basis

1. In futures trading, the difference between the futures price and the spot price. The basis will narrow as a contract moves closer to settlement.
2. In taxation, theacquisition cost of an asset adjusted for capital distributions (that is, stock dividends). A security's basis is used in calculating gains and losses for tax purposes. Also called cost basis, tax basis. See also adjusted basis.

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry: ba·sis
Pronunciation: 'bA-s&s
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural ba·ses /-"sEz/
1 :something (as a principle or reason) on which something else is established <the court could not imagine any conceivable basis for the statute> —see also RATIONAL BASIS
2 : a basic principle or method; especially : the principle or method by whichtaxable income is calculated
NOTE: The Internal Revenue Code has set some limits on which method a taxpayer may use for figuring taxable income. For example, a corporation with gross receiptsunder $5,000,000 may be a cash-basis taxpayer.

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ac·cru·al basis
: a method of accounting in which income and expenses are recorded in the period when they areearned or incurred regardless of when the payment is received or made called also accrual method

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cash basis
: a method of accounting in which income and expenses arerecorded in the period when payment is received or made called also cash method
3 : the value (as cost or fair market value) of an asset used in calculating capital gains orlosses for income tax purposes

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adjusted basis
: the basis of an asset increased or decreased to reflect changes in value (as through improvement ordepreciation)

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car·ry·over basis
/'kar-E-"O-v&r-/
: the basis of a donated or transferred asset that is equal to the basis of the asset when it wasin the hands of the donor or transferor
NOTE: Carryover basis is generally applied to gifts, transfers in trust, and property acquired from a decedent.

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cost basis
: thebasis of an asset equal to the amount paid for the asset plus other acquisition costs (as a brokerage fee)

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stepped–up basis
/'stept-'&p-/
: a basis (as acarryover or cost basis) that is increased (as to fair market value) by other than an improvement or depreciation adjustment

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sub·sti·tut·ed basis
: the basisof property received in exchange for property of a like kind that is equal to the basis of the property given with adjustments for additional consideration received or gains and losses realized

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Basis

Base\, n. [F. base, L. basis, fr. Gr. ? a stepping step, a base, pedestal, fr. ? to go, step, akin to E. come. Cf. Basis, and see Come.]

1. The bottom of anything, considered as its support, or that on which something rests for support; the foundation; as, the base of a statue. "The base of mighty mountains." --Prescott.

2. Fig.: The fundamental or essential part of a thing; the essential principle; a groundwork.

3. (Arch.) (a) The lower part of a wall, pier, or column, when treated as a separate feature, usually in projection, or especially ornamented. (b) The lower part of a complete architectural design, as of a monument; also, the lower part of any elaborate piece of furniture or decoration.

4. (Bot.) That extremity of a leaf, fruit, etc., at which it is attached to its support.

5. (Chem.) The positive, or non-acid component of a salt; a substance which, combined with an acid, neutralizes the latter and forms a salt; -- applied also to the hydroxides of the positive elements or radicals, and to certain organic bodies resembling them in their property of forming salts with acids.

6. (Pharmacy) The chief ingredient in a compound.

7. (Dyeing) A substance used as a mordant. --Ure.

8. (Fort.) The exterior side of the polygon, or that imaginary line which connects the salient angles of two adjacent bastions.

9. (Geom.) The line or surface constituting that part of a figure on which it is supposed to stand.

10. (Math.) The number from which a mathematical table is constructed; as, the base of a system of logarithms.

11. [See Base low.] A low, or deep, sound. (Mus.) (a) The lowest part; the deepest male voice. (b) One who sings, or the instrument which plays, base. [Now commonly written bass.]

The trebles squeak for fear, the bases roar. --Dryden.

12. (Mil.) A place or tract of country, protected by fortifications, or by natural advantages, from which the operations of an army proceed, forward movements are made, supplies are furnished, etc.

13. (Mil.) The smallest kind of cannon. [Obs.]

14. (Zo["o]l.) That part of an organ by which it is attached to another more central organ.

15. (Crystallog.) The basal plane of a crystal.

16. (Geol.) The ground mass of a rock, especially if not distinctly crystalline.

17. (Her.) The lower part of the field. See Escutcheon.

18. The housing of a horse. [Obs.]

19. pl. A kind of skirt ( often of velvet or brocade, but sometimes of mailed armor) which hung from the middle to about the knees, or lower. [Obs.]

20. The lower part of a robe or petticoat. [Obs.]

21. An apron. [Obs.] "Bakers in their linen bases." --Marston.

22. The point or line from which a start is made; a starting place or a goal in various games.

To their appointed base they went. --Dryden.

23. (Surv.) A line in a survey which, being accurately determined in length and position, serves as the origin from which to compute the distances and positions of any points or objects connected with it by a system of triangles. --Lyman.

24. A rustic play; -- called also prisoner's base, prison base, or bars. "To run the country base." --Shak.

25. (Baseball) Any one of the four bounds which mark the circuit of the infield.

Altern base. See under Altern.

Attic base. (Arch.) See under Attic.

Base course. (Arch.) (a) The first or lower course of a foundation wall, made of large stones of a mass of concrete; -- called also foundation course. (b) The architectural member forming the transition between the basement and the wall above.

Base hit (Baseball), a hit, by which the batsman, without any error on the part of his opponents, is able to reach the first base without being put out.

Base line. (a) A main line taken as a base, as in surveying or in military operations. (b) A line traced round a cannon at the rear of the vent.

Base plate, the foundation plate of heavy machinery, as of the steam engine; the bed plate.

Base ring (Ordnance), a projecting band of metal around the breech, connected with the body of the gun by a concave molding. --H. L. Scott.

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BASIS

BASIS: in Acronym Finder

On-line Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

basis

basis: in CancerWEB's On-line Medical Dictionary