Bās'yle, n.

(bās/il), n. [Gr. βάσις, base, and ὕλη, wood, and in a chemical sense, a simple substance, a base. See BASE and BASIS.] (Chem.) An electro-positive ingredient of a compound, whether elementary, or, if compound, performing the functions of an element.

☞ The term radical was formerly, and is still, employed to denote the same object. See RADICAL. Graham.