foundation

foun·da·tion

noun \fau̇n-ˈdā-shən\

Definition of FOUNDATION

1

: the act of founding

2

: a basis (as a tenet, principle, or axiom) upon which something stands or is supported <the foundations of geometry> <the rumor is without foundation in fact>

3

a : funds given for the permanent support of an institution : endowment b : an organization or institution established by endowment with provision for future maintenance

4

: an underlying base or support; especially : the whole masonry substructure of a building

5

a : a body or ground upon which something is built up or overlaid b : a woman's supporting undergarment : corset c : a cosmetic usually used as a base for makeup

— foun·da·tion·al \-shnəl, -shə-n^əl\ adjective

— foun·da·tion·al·ly adverb

— foun·da·tion·less \-shən-ləs\ adjective

Examples of FOUNDATION

1. The inspector discovered a crack in the house's foundation.
2. The book explains the moral foundations on which her political career was built.
3. These problems threaten the very foundations of modern society.
4. The scandal has shaken the government to its foundations.
5. They established a foundation to help orphaned children.

First Known Use of FOUNDATION

14th century

Related to FOUNDATION

Synonyms: establishment, institution, institute

Related Words: body, collective, group; corporation, enterprise; charity, philanthropy; think tank

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Rhymes with FOUNDATION

aeration, Alsatian, carnation, castration, causation, cessation, cetacean, citation, Claymation, cognation, collation, conflation, C ration, creation, cremation, crenation, Croatian, crustacean, dalmatian, damnation, deflation, delation, dictation, dilation, donation, earth station, elation, Eurasian, filtration, fixation, flirtation, flotation, formation, frustration, gas station, gestation, gradation, gustation, guttation, gyration, hydration, inflation, lactation, legation, libation, location, lunation, lustration, luxation, migration, mutation, narration, negation, notation, oblation, oration, outstation, ovation, palmation, palpation, plantation, potation, predation, privation, probation, pronation, proration, prostration, pulsation, punctation, pupation, purgation, relation, rogation, rotation, salvation, sedation, sensation, serration, space station, stagflation, stagnation, starvation, striation, substation, summation, tarnation, taxation, temptation, translation, truncation, vacation, vexation, vibration, vocation, way station, workstation