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.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• foundationally
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of foundational

foundation ( def. ) + -al ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

“Perrigo’s core values are foundational to how we operate, and the board expects all colleagues — especially our senior leaders — to uphold those standards at all times,” Chair Orlando Ashford said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

Over the past two years, Roshni Kakaiya, a San Diego–based family medicine doctor, has created a training model that lets clinicians easily practice paracervical blocks—education she believes should be foundational for anyone in women’s health.

From Slate • Jun. 7, 2026

Work started on the castle in 1215, the same year as Magna Carta, the foundational declaration of English liberty, was signed.

From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026

“By scaling its investments, the company seeks to expand its foundational infrastructure to support the significant growth opportunity ahead,” Alphabet said in Monday’s news release.

From Barron's • Jun. 2, 2026

We cannot understand science without studying the history of these foundational concepts.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

Related Words

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