foundational

American  

[foun-dey-shuh-nl] / faʊnˈdeɪ ʃə nl /

Rarely foundationary

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

Etymology

Origin of foundational

foundation ( def. ) + -al ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

“When physicians prioritize access to power over ethical judgment, they often break the foundational covenant of medicine,” she wrote.

From Salon • May 19, 2026

Just last week, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved the Principal Design Criteria for Aurora—essentially, a foundational rulebook for the plant’s safety and performance standards.

From Barron's • May 12, 2026

That foundational software has never been so valuable.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 2, 2026

The company is simultaneously developing its own internal foundational models that can power on-device AI features.

From MarketWatch • May 1, 2026

It is butter and creamy tea, as warm as Papa's arms, freckled like Papa's arms, strong and foundational like Papa's arms.

From "What the Night Sings" by Vesper Stamper

Related Words

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