foundation

B1 Topic:Materials & Substances

US /ˌfæʊ̯nˈdeɪ̯ʃən/ UK /ˌfaʊ̯nˈdeɪ̯ʃən/ See IPA manual

Freq #4036

Meanings

1

noun
The solid structure built underground that supports a building.

The workers spent weeks laying the foundations of the new house.
2

noun
A basic idea, fact, or principle that something develops from.

His early reading gave him a strong foundation for his studies.
3

noun
An organization set up to provide money for charity or research.

The Wikimedia Foundation supports many free online projects.
4

noun
The act of starting or establishing something.

The foundation of the university dates back to 1850.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the solid structure built... base groundwork

2 noun · a basic idea, fact, or... basis groundwork grounding

4 noun · the act of starting or... establishment

Word family

Forms foundations

Derived forms foundationalfoundationaryfoundationedfoundationerfoundationlessfoundationweargrounationmicrofoundationrefoundation

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

philanthropic foundation
an organization that funds charitable, educational, scientific, or cultural work

Adjective + noun

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dʰewbʰ- ~ *dʰubʰ- Proto-Indo-European *-mḗn Proto-Indo-European *bʰudʰmḗnder. Proto-Italic *funðos Latin fundus Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin fundō Proto-Indo-European *-tisder. Proto-Italic *-tjō Latin -tiō Latin fundātiōder. Old French fondacionbor. Middle English foundacioun English foundation From Middle English foundacioun, fundacioun, from Old French fondacion, from Latin fundātiō (“founding, foundation”).

*ǵʰewd- Proto-Indo-European foundacioun Middle English fondacion Old French fundātiō Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Materials & Substances Architecture & Buildings

External links

# foundation

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˌfæʊ̯nˈdeɪ̯ʃən/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌfaʊ̯nˈdeɪ̯ʃən/
**Frequency rank:** 4036

## Meanings
1. The solid structure built underground that supports a building.
2. A basic idea, fact, or principle that something develops from.
3. An organization set up to provide money for charity or research.
4. The act of starting or establishing something.

## Examples
- The workers spent weeks laying the foundations of the new house.
- His early reading gave him a strong foundation for his studies.
- The Wikimedia Foundation supports many free online projects.
- The foundation of the university dates back to 1850.

## Derived Forms
- foundational
- foundationary
- foundationed
- foundationer
- foundationless
- foundationwear
- grounation
- microfoundation
- refoundation

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *ǵʰewd-
- Root: foundacioun
- Root: fondacion
- Root: fundātiō

## Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dʰewbʰ- ~ *dʰubʰ- Proto-Indo-European *-mḗn Proto-Indo-European *bʰudʰmḗnder. Proto-Italic *funðos Latin fundus Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin fundō Proto-Indo-European *-tisder. Proto-Italic *-tjō Latin -tiō Latin fundātiōder. Old French fondacionbor. Middle English foundacioun English foundation From Middle English foundacioun, fundacioun, from Old French fondacion, from Latin fundātiō (“founding, foundation”).

## AI Etymology
Foundation comes from Middle English foundacioun, fundacioun, from Old French fondacion, from Latin fundātiō (“founding, foundation”). In current use, the main senses are “The solid structure built underground that supports a building” and “A basic idea, fact, or principle that something develops from”.

## Topics
- Materials & Substances
- Architecture & Buildings

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