foundation
Americannoun
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foundations
plural
-
the basis or groundwork of anything.
the moral foundation of both society and religion.
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the natural or prepared ground or base on which some structure rests.
- Synonyms:
- footing
- Antonyms:
- superstructure
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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
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the act of founding, setting up, establishing, etc..
a policy in effect since the foundation.
- Synonyms:
- settlement, establishment
-
the state of being founded.
- Synonyms:
- settlement, establishment
-
an institution financed by a donation or legacy to aid research, education, the arts, etc..
the Ford Foundation.
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an endowment for such an institution.
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a cosmetic, as a cream or liquid, used as a base for facial makeup.
-
Solitaire. a card of given denomination on which other cards are to be added according to denomination or suit.
noun
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that on which something is founded; basis
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(often plural) a construction below the ground that distributes the load of a building, wall, etc
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the base on which something stands
-
the act of founding or establishing or the state of being founded or established
-
-
an endowment or legacy for the perpetual support of an institution such as a school or hospital
-
entitled to benefit from the funds of a foundation
-
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an institution supported by an endowment, often one that provides funds for charities, research, etc
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the charter incorporating or establishing a society or institution and the statutes or rules governing its affairs
-
a cosmetic in cream or cake form used as a base for make-up
-
cards a card on which a sequence may be built
Synonym Usage
See base 1.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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; see found 1) + -iōn- -ion
Explanation
A foundation is the base for something. You often hear about the structural foundations of buildings, but a good idea can also be the foundation of a successful business. In the simplest sense, foundations support something else. Friendship is the foundation of a good marriage, and many svelte figures rely on girdles (known to underwear specialists as a foundation garment). But foundations are also charitable organizations. And in cosmetics, foundation is gooey make-up that's supposed to match your skin tone.
Vocabulary lists containing foundation
Giving Words
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The SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 6
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Essential English Vocabulary, List 1
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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.
See Examples For:
Building on that foundation, the teams created a so-called harness to direct those models and also constructed dozens of agents to perform tasks on behalf of users.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
In October 2026, the foundation said the UK rate would increase by 4.8% to £14.10 an hour, while the London Living Wage for workers in the capital would go up by 4.4% to £15.45.
From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026
Aid Coalition president Jonathan Barsade told AFP the accusation had "no foundation whatsoever" and that the NGO does not provide financial incentives.
From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2026
What started as an unexpected finding in genetically modified mice helped reveal the cause of an extremely rare disease, transformed how doctors diagnose it, and provided the foundation for developing a drug.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 13, 2026
Indeed one can say that ‘hypothesis’ only really acquired its modern sense after the foundation of the Royal Society.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors.
From Salon ● Oct. 17, 2026
Despite endowments’ longer-term gains, higher education is facing challenges including inflation, dropping enrollment and the loss of research funds, said Margaret Chen, global head of Cambridge’s endowments and foundations practice.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
CEPI, an Oslo-based consortium of governments, foundations, pharmaceutical companies and science organizations, is providing funds for five potential vaccines and hopes to secure approvals for at least two by year’s end.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026
And Smith believes the daytimers helped lay the foundations for the vibrant British Asian culture scene that followed.
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026
The monster’s fist immediately lashed out and struck the stone hearth from its foundations, the brick chimney tumbling down on top of it in a loud clatter.
From "A Monster Calls" by Patrick Ness
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
