foundational

American

[foun-dey-shuh-nl] / faʊnˈdeɪ ʃə nl /

Rarely foundationary

adjective

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

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

A renowned computer scientist who President Bill Clinton in 1996 called a “pioneer,” he was at the center of many foundational projects.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

Coachella’s foundational art scene had a DIY aesthetic, with early pieces including trash cans, alien sculptures and a Tesla coil.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

SpaceX merged with xAI in February, accelerating Musk’s plans to turn SpaceX into an AI giant capable of running data centers and developing foundational AI models and applications.

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

Donald Trump’s executive order to promote AI in schools argued that the tech “sparks curiosity and creativity” and “will equip our students with the foundational knowledge and skills.”

From Salon • Mar. 30, 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

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023