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Synonyms

foundation

American  
[foun-dey-shuhn] / faʊnˈdeɪ ʃən /

noun

  1. the basis or groundwork of anything.

    the moral foundation of both society and religion.

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

    Synonyms:
    footing
    Antonyms:
    superstructure
  3. the lowest division of a building, wall, or the like, usually of masonry and partly or wholly below the surface of the ground.

    Synonyms:
    footing
    Antonyms:
    superstructure
  4. the act of founding, found, setting up, establishing, etc..

    a policy in effect since the foundation.

    Synonyms:
    settlement, establishment
  5. the state of being founded. found.

    Synonyms:
    settlement, establishment
  6. an institution financed by a donation or legacy to aid research, education, the arts, etc..

    the Ford Foundation.

  7. an endowment for such an institution.

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

  9. foundation garment.

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


foundation British  
/ faʊnˈdeɪʃən /

noun

  1. that on which something is founded; basis

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

  3. the base on which something stands

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

    1. an endowment or legacy for the perpetual support of an institution such as a school or hospital

    2. entitled to benefit from the funds of a foundation

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

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

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

  8. See foundation garment

  9. cards a card on which a sequence may be built

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

See base 1.

Other Word Forms

  • foundational adjective
  • foundationally adverb
  • foundationary adjective
  • prefoundation noun

Etymology

Origin of foundation

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English foundacioun, from Latin fundātiōn- (stem of fundātiō ), equivalent to fundāt(us) (past participle of fundāre; found 1 ) + -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The foundation acts as a lifeline for those who have been shunned by society and their families and have nowhere to go for help.

From BBC

They rank as the largest U.S. tax increase as a percent of gross domestic product since 1993, the foundation found.

From MarketWatch

Aswat was part of the inaugural Riding A Dream Academy scholarship programme in 2021-22 and then completed a foundation course at the British Racing School.

From BBC

But the foundation of our collaboration — our shared belief in storytelling and craftsmanship — has never changed since those early days.

From Los Angeles Times

The substantial majority of Schwarzman’s wealth, which largely is bound up in his Blackstone stake, is slated to transfer to the foundation upon his death, one of the people said.

From The Wall Street Journal