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

See Examples For:

foundational

“As AI becomes foundational to how organizations operate, we are well positioned to extend our leadership as the cybersecurity platform for the AI era,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026

The foundational text of Parton’s career, this 1971 single lovingly details her mother’s make-do resilience, stitching a fall coat from scraps of cloth in the spirit of a beloved Bible story.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026

"I stand ready to help renew the UN Charter's foundational promise: to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war."

From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026

The research represents one of the most comprehensive empirical tests yet of a foundational idea in evolutionary biology.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 15, 2026

“We would forfeit the protection afforded by the foundational covenants of the treaty.”

From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull

Related Words

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