The discovery of plate tectonics fundamentally changed how geologists understand the movement of Earth's continents.
板块构造的发现从根本上改变了地质学家对地球大陆运动的理解。
Which choice best defines “fundamentally”?
D — In a basic and important way. “fundamentally” means in a basic and important way.
Which word means “in a basic and important way”?
A — fundamentally. “fundamentally” means in a basic and important way.
fundamentally — in a basic and important way. In Chinese: 根本地.
fundamentally is pronounced /ˌfʌn.dəˈmen.təl.i/.
The discovery of plate tectonics fundamentally changed how geologists understand the movement of Earth's continents. (板块构造的发现从根本上改变了地质学家对地球大陆运动的理解。)
basically, essentially, radically — all close in meaning to fundamentally (in a basic and important way).
superficially, slightly — each the opposite of fundamentally (in a basic and important way).
Yes. fundamentally is on the SAT Prep Basic list — the everyday academic words the SAT assumes you already have. The Digital SAT does not test vocabulary in isolation; words like this one are tested through Words in Context questions, where you choose the word that completes a passage most logically and precisely.