bedrock

American  

[bed-rok] / ˈbɛdˌrɒk /

noun

1. Geology. unbroken solid rock, overlaid in most places by soil or rock fragments.

2. bottom layer; lowest stratum.

3. any firm foundation or basis.

   Technical courses will be founded on a bedrock of sound, general education so as to produce a well-rounded engineer.

4. the fundamental principles, as of a teaching, belief, or science.

   Let's strip away the cant and get down to bedrock.

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adjective

1. basic; fundamental.

bedrock British  

/ ˈbɛdˌrɒk /

noun

1. the solid unweathered rock that lies beneath the loose surface deposits of soil, alluvium, etc

2. basic principles or facts (esp in the phrase get down to bedrock )

3. the lowest point, level, or layer

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bedrock Scientific  

/ bĕd′rŏk′ /

1. The solid rock that lies beneath the soil and other loose material on the Earth's surface.

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Etymology

Origin of bedrock

An Americanism dating back to 1840–50; bed + rock ¹

Explanation

Bedrock is the hard layer of rock beneath looser rocks and soil. In some places, the bedrock is exposed, while in others it lies deep underground. A geologist who's interested in studying the bedrock in different areas might have to dig through the various layers of soil to reach that bedrock. You can also use the word in a figurative way, to mean "the heart of the matter," or "the basic, fundamental principles." For example, you might say that fairness and freedom is the bedrock of a good government. The word combines bed — here meaning "plot of land" — and rock.

Example Sentences

Platforms like AWS Bedrock, Microsoft Foundry and Google Vertex allow enterprises to access models of their choice and build custom AI agents instead of acquiring them from third-party software providers.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 4, 2026

Well-known venture capital firms such as Sequoia Capital, Khosla Ventures and Bedrock Capital have backed the defense tech startup.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2026

AWS says that Bedrock Managed Agents combine frontier AI models with AWS infrastructure, enabling customers to build OpenAI-powered agents in the cloud.

From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026

Bedrock was drawn to Austin because of the nearby talent from SpaceX and Tesla, and it has become a subcontractor for other startups in the town.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

Bedrock becomes boulders, boulders become stones; the ice retreats, a lake forms, and galaxies of freshwater clams flap their million shells at the sun and close and die and the lake seeps away.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr