building block
noun
: a unit of construction or composition
especially
: something essential on which a larger entity is based
Examples of building block in a Sentence
historically the infantry division has been a basic building block of armies
Recent Examples on the Web
Aiding collagen production: Vitamin C is an important cofactor, or partner, for the enzymes that build collagen, the skin’s primary building block.
—
Adam Hurly, Robb Report, 29 July 2025
But in a paper just published in the journal Nature Communications, lead author, Matthew Genge, a geologist at Imperial College London, and colleagues argue that the building blocks of life had their origins in an intensely turbulent region of space close to our giant planet Jupiter.
—Bruce Dorminey, Forbes.com, 27 July 2025
One person’s words, one action — say, for instance, a simple no — becomes the building block for another small action, and another, even if that action is not obvious.
—Pat Beall, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 July 2025
Serine functions as a building block for proteins, is involved in cell proliferation, and various metabolic pathways.
—New Atlas, 19 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for building block
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Adam Hurly, Robb Report, 29 July 2025
But in a paper just published in the journal Nature Communications, lead author, Matthew Genge, a geologist at Imperial College London, and colleagues argue that the building blocks of life had their origins in an intensely turbulent region of space close to our giant planet Jupiter.
—Bruce Dorminey, Forbes.com, 27 July 2025
One person’s words, one action — say, for instance, a simple no — becomes the building block for another small action, and another, even if that action is not obvious.
—Pat Beall, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 July 2025
Serine functions as a building block for proteins, is involved in cell proliferation, and various metabolic pathways.
—New Atlas, 19 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for building block
Cite this Entry
“Building block.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/building%20block. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
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