foundational

Rarely foun·da·tion·ar·y

[foun-dey-shuh-nl]

adjective

1. of or relating to the basis or groundwork on which something rests or is built; needing to be understood or established at the beginning.

   We believe that fostering a strong local community is a foundational component of our inner-city scholarship program, guiding everything else we do.

Other Word Forms

• foundationally adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of foundational¹

foundation ( def. ) + -al ¹ ( def. )

Related Words

• central 
• constitutional 
• crucial 
• elemental 
• elementary 
• essential 
• indispensable 
• integral 
• intrinsic 
• major 
• necessary 
• paramount 
• principal 
• radical 
• significant 
• structural 
• theoretical 
• underlying 
• vital