foundation

[ foun-dey-shuhn ]

/ faʊnˈdeɪ ʃən /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR foundation ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the basis or groundwork of anything: the moral foundation of both society and religion.

the natural or prepared ground or base on which some structure rests.

the lowest division of a building, wall, or the like, usually of masonry and partly or wholly below the surface of the ground.

the act of founding, setting up, establishing, etc.: a policy in effect since the foundation.

the state of being founded.

an institution financed by a donation or legacy to aid research, education, the arts, etc.: the Ford Foundation.

an endowment for such an institution.

a cosmetic, as a cream or liquid, used as a base for facial makeup.

foundation garment.

Solitaire. a card of given denomination on which other cards are to be added according to denomination or suit.

Origin of foundation

1350–1400; Middle English foundacioun < Latin fundātiōn- (stem of fundātiō), equivalent to fundāt(us) (past participle of fundāre; see found²) + -iōn- -ion

SYNONYMS FOR foundation

2, 3 footing.

4, 5 establishment, settlement.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR foundation ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR foundation

2, 3 superstructure.

SEE ANTONYMS FOR foundation ON THESAURUS.COM

synonym study for foundation

2. See base¹.

OTHER WORDS FROM foundation

foun·da·tion·al, adjective foun·da·tion·al·ly, adverb foun·da·tion·ar·y, adjective pre·foun·da·tion, noun

Words nearby foundation

foumart, found, found art, found object, found poem, foundation, foundation day, foundation garment, foundation stone, foundation subjects, founder

Example sentences from the Web for foundational

Back then, property was understood by universal consensus as a foundational cornerstone of human liberty and a life worth living.

How Young People Are Destroying Liberty |James Poulos |October 11, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
And we are, to my knowledge, the only nation that has hounding down joy written into our foundational documents.

What Did TJ Mean By “Pursuit of Happiness,” Anyway? |P. J. O’Rourke |June 8, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The separation of church (synagogue, mosque, etc.) and state is a foundational pillar of American democracy.

Religious Freedom, or a License to Discriminate? |Gene Robinson |March 23, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Polls show Americans now struggle to take our foundational institutions seriously.

A New Constitution? We Can Hardly Handle The One We’ve Got! |James Poulos |February 6, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

Or of the Zohar, the foundational work of Jewish mysticism, which was written in Spain.

Daniel Gordis And The Jewish Nation-State |Sigal Samuel |February 18, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
There are courses that are foundational and that must therefore be governed by an eclectic aim.

College Teaching |Paul Klapper
It was this course that was looked forward to with the keenest curiosity as the foundational instruction given by the school.

Foch the Man |Clara E. Laughlin
Liberal education and all the values attached to it are the foundational matrix of the current system of general education.

The Civilization of Illiteracy |Mihai Nadin
Still more significant is the increased mechanical efficiency in the foundational industries.

The Evolution of Modern Capitalism |John Atkinson Hobson
His fortissimo chords have hitherto lacked the foundational power and splendour of d'Albert's, Busoni's, and Rosenthal's.

Franz Liszt |James Huneker

British Dictionary definitions for foundational

foundation

/ (faʊnˈdeɪʃən) /

noun

that on which something is founded; basis

(often plural) a construction below the ground that distributes the load of a building, wall, etc

the base on which something stands

the act of founding or establishing or the state of being founded or established

an endowment or legacy for the perpetual support of an institution such as a school or hospital
on the foundation entitled to benefit from the funds of a foundation

an institution supported by an endowment, often one that provides funds for charities, research, etc

the charter incorporating or establishing a society or institution and the statutes or rules governing its affairs

a cosmetic in cream or cake form used as a base for make-up

See foundation garment

cards a card on which a sequence may be built

Derived forms of foundation

foundational, adjective foundationally, adverb foundationary, adjective

Medical definitions for foundational

foundation

[ foun-dā′shən ]

n.

The basis on which something stands or is supported; a base.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

foundation

noun

Origin of foundation

SYNONYMS FOR foundation

ANTONYMS FOR foundation

synonym study for foundation

OTHER WORDS FROM foundation

Words nearby foundation

Example sentences from the Web for foundational

British Dictionary definitions for foundational

noun

Derived forms of foundation

Medical definitions for foundational

n.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

foundation

noun

Origin of foundation

SYNONYMS FOR foundation

ANTONYMS FOR foundation

synonym study for foundation

OTHER WORDS FROM foundation

Words nearby foundation

Words related to foundational

Example sentences from the Web for foundational

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for foundational

noun

Derived forms of foundation

Medical definitions for foundational

n.

British Dictionary definitions for foundational