cornerstone
noun
cor·ner·stone
ˈkȯr-nər-ˌstōn 
1
: a stone forming a part of a corner or angle in a wall
specifically
: such a stone laid at a formal ceremony
2
: a basic element : foundation
a cornerstone of foreign policy
Examples of cornerstone in a Sentence
Officials held a ceremony to lay the cornerstone for a new library.
Trust is the cornerstone of their relationship.
Recent Examples on the Web
Showing two high jewelry collections a year, Choisne let her imagination run wild with innovation as the cornerstone of the carte blanche expression shown in July.
—
Thomas Waller, Footwear News, 11 Oct. 2025
As the world pushes toward faster, smaller, and more energy-efficient computing, Fudan University’s 2D-silicon hybrid chip could become the cornerstone of the next digital revolution.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2025
In almost every consumer-facing industry, advertising is a cornerstone of growth.
—Cynthia Salarizadeh, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2025
Just by glancing at the periodic table, every metal could, in principle, serve as a cornerstone, and countless organic molecules can act as bridges connecting them.
—Stavroula Alina Kampouri, The Conversation, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cornerstone
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Thomas Waller, Footwear News, 11 Oct. 2025
As the world pushes toward faster, smaller, and more energy-efficient computing, Fudan University’s 2D-silicon hybrid chip could become the cornerstone of the next digital revolution.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2025
In almost every consumer-facing industry, advertising is a cornerstone of growth.
—Cynthia Salarizadeh, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2025
Just by glancing at the periodic table, every metal could, in principle, serve as a cornerstone, and countless organic molecules can act as bridges connecting them.
—Stavroula Alina Kampouri, The Conversation, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cornerstone
Cite this Entry
“Cornerstone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cornerstone. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cornerstone
noun
cor·ner·stone
ˈkȯr-nər-ˌstōn
1
: a stone forming part of a corner in a wall
2
: something of basic importance
the cornerstone of our foreign policy
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