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
-
the base on which something stands
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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:
The foundation has called the breeding attempts "remarkable", adding that one of the male adult birds has only one leg after losing it five years ago.
From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026
That 2009 finding was the legal foundation for federal greenhouse gas emissions regulation, which classified six gases as a threat to public health and welfare.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
The network’s entire multi-billion dollar business model rests on a structural foundation that, for decades, signs athletic conferences like the SEC or the Big Ten on a single media rights contract.
From Salon ● Sep. 15, 2026
"The domestic imbalance between strong supply and weak demand remains pronounced, some firms face operational difficulties and the foundation for steady economic improvement requires consolidation," it said.
From Barron's ● Sep. 15, 2026
Over the next ninety years, it has become the foundation of the story of the Mona Lisa theft.
From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day
“It is highly unusual that an end-product threatens the economic foundations of its essential suppliers, but that is the situation we have created for our LLM business with respect to its ‘content supply chain.’”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
The programme is funded by philanthropic foundations and has received about $300,000 to date, according to Borneo Futures.
From Barron's ● Sep. 17, 2026
Organic chemists routinely study chains of atoms that form the molecular foundations of medicines, advanced materials, agrochemicals, polymers and many other technologies used in everyday life.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 14, 2026
"The IOC will continue working in close collaboration with the organising committee to build on the solid foundations that Mr Grospiron has laid," the statement continued.
From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026
“That is not hard to guess. Now you know better. Well, that is one of the three foundations of learning: see much, study much, suffer much.”
From "The Book of Three" by Lloyd Alexander
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
