founder

[ foun-der ]

/ ˈfaʊn dər /

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See synonyms for: founder / foundered / founders on Thesaurus.com

noun

a person who founds or establishes something, as a company or institution.

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Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of founder

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English found(o)ur, foundere, fundre “original builder of a city, church, castle, or city; founder of a country,” from Anglo-French fundur, from Old French fondeor, from Latin fundātōr-, stem of fundātor; see origin at found¹;see also -er¹

Other definitions for founder (2 of 3)

founder²

[ foun-der ]

/ ˈfaʊn dər /

verb (used without object)

(of a ship, boat, etc.) to fill with water and sink.

to fall or sink down, as buildings, ground, etc.: Built on a former lake bed, the building has foundered nearly ten feet.

to become wrecked; fail utterly: The project foundered because public support was lacking.

to stumble, break down, or go lame, as a horse: His mount foundered on the rocky path.

to become ill from overeating.

Veterinary Pathology. (of a horse) to suffer from laminitis.

verb (used with object)

to cause to fill with water and sink: Rough seas had foundered the ship in mid-ocean.

Veterinary Pathology. to cause (a horse) to break down, go lame, or suffer from laminitis.

noun

Veterinary Pathology. laminitis.

OTHER WORDS FOR founder

2 collapse, succumb, topple, sink.

3 perish, flop.

See synonyms for founder on Thesaurus.com

Origin of founder

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English foundren, funder, fonder, from Old French fondrer “to plunge to the bottom, submerge,” from Vulgar Latin fundorāre (unattested), derivative of fundor-, an s-stem noun interpreted as stem of Latin fundus, actually an o-stem noun (stem fund- ) “bottom”

OTHER WORDS FROM founder

un·foun·dered, adjectiveun·foun·der·ing, adjective

Other definitions for founder (3 of 3)

founder³

[ foun-der ]

/ ˈfaʊn dər /

noun

a person who founds or casts metal, glass, etc.

Origin of founder

First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English foundour, founder, from Old French fondeur, from fondre “to melt, cast”; see origin at found³, -er¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use founder in a sentence

First, Airbnb — by far — has the best return profile for its founders.
If you didn’t make $1B this week, you are not doing VC right|Danny Crichton|November 20, 2020|TechCrunch
As it’s still in early stealth, the founders said it doesn’t have a name yet.
Udemy and altMBA co-founders return to edtech with a new, stealthy business|Natasha Mascarenhas|November 12, 2020|TechCrunch
Between them, these founders have raised roughly $450 million for their respective companies.
Come hear about the opportunities in space observation at TC Sessions: Space|Jonathan Shieber|November 12, 2020|TechCrunch
Idit Levine, founder and CEO at Solo, says that she began by creating individual components since launching the company in 2017 because she knew that it was early for service meshes.
Solo.io announces service mesh platform aimed at enterprise customers|Ron Miller|November 12, 2020|TechCrunch

When Lorne Jenkins, founder and CEO of Mini Money Management, was 8 years old, his mother “hired” his sister and him to do chores.
Will the Pandemic Teach American Kids Financial Literacy?|Charu Kasturi|November 12, 2020|Ozy
Deshchytsia suggests the daylong Geneva talks came close to foundering.
Ukraine Foreign Minister Speaks of Mistrust—and a Truce|Jamie Dettmer|April 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Right at the epicenter of big time pop, music is foundering as a wealth enterprise.
The Music Industry Is Dying? Great|James Poulos|December 26, 2013|DAILY BEAST
He has disappeared into the jungles of South America, leaving his company foundering and on the verge of collapse.
Must-Read Books by Will Hermes, Lydia Millet, and Stuart Nadler|Nicholas Mancusi, Drew Toal, John Reed|November 28, 2011|DAILY BEAST
Obama's lawyers are foundering in explaining the legal rationale for his Libyan adventure.
The Lawless Presidency|Bruce Ackerman|June 29, 2011|DAILY BEAST
But not so much in 1996, when a then-foundering Apple introduced the “multimedia” hardware platform, the Pippin.
Apple's 10 Biggest Flops|The Daily Beast Video|June 12, 2010|DAILY BEAST
It thus appears that the Marconi apparatus was at work until within a few minutes of the foundering of the Titanic.
Loss of the Steamship 'Titanic'|British Government
If the stoppage gave way, if the leak re-opened, nothing could prevent the sloop foundering.
Toilers of the Sea|Victor Hugo
And isn't Hodgson foundering my mare at this moment in chase of him?
The Adventures of Harry Revel|Sir Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch
The various possibilities that might account for it raced through his mind, each foundering on some fundamental difficulty.
The Onslaught from Rigel|Fletcher Pratt
Those of England, France, and Spain equally suffered; many being wrecked, and others foundering with all hands.
Hurricane Hurry|W.H.G. Kingston

British Dictionary definitions for founder (1 of 3)

founder¹

/ (ˈfaʊndə) /

noun

a person who establishes an institution, company, society, etc

Word Origin for founder

C14: see found ²

British Dictionary definitions for founder (2 of 3)

founder²

/ (ˈfaʊndə) /

verb (intr)

(of a ship) to sink

to break down or failthe project foundered

to sink into or become stuck in soft ground

to fall in or give way; collapse

(of a horse) to stumble or go lame

archaic (of animals, esp livestock) to become ill from overeating

noun

vet science another name for laminitis

Word Origin for founder

C13: from Old French fondrer to submerge, from Latin fundus bottom; see found ²

usage for founder

Founder is sometimes wrongly used where flounder is meant: this unexpected turn of events left him floundering (not foundering)

British Dictionary definitions for founder (3 of 3)

founder³

/ (ˈfaʊndə) /

noun

a person who makes metal castings
(in combination)an iron founder

Word Origin for founder

C15: see found ³

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

founder

Origin of founder

Other definitions for founder (2 of 3)

OTHER WORDS FOR founder

Origin of founder

OTHER WORDS FROM founder

Other definitions for founder (3 of 3)

Origin of founder

Words related to founder

How to use founder in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for founder (1 of 3)

Word Origin for founder

British Dictionary definitions for founder (2 of 3)

Word Origin for founder

usage for founder

British Dictionary definitions for founder (3 of 3)

Word Origin for founder