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

Synonyms

• base
• basis
• bedrock
• bottom
• footing
• foundation
• ground
• groundwork
• keystone
• root
• underpinning
• warp
• warp and woof

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

The man also known as Dwayne Johnson returned to his roots in the wrestling ring, aligning with WWE cornerstone and his real life cousin, Universal Champion Roman Reigns. —Shaheem Reid, Variety, 7 Apr. 2024

Trump has vowed to pardon the rioters and made the attack a cornerstone of his campaign. —Jonathan J. Cooper, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2024

And those wind projects are only the cornerstone in Lundstorm’s vision of a much bigger energy company. —Justin Worland, TIME, 4 Apr. 2024

During Easter week, Francis has also sought to focus on women and renew his dedication to a cornerstone of his papacy: humility. —Anthony Faiola, Washington Post, 31 Mar. 2024

Perez, the club’s veteran cornerstone and perennial All-Star, registered three hits and four RBIs. —Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 31 Mar. 2024

And in today’s competitive market, customer loyalty is the cornerstone of success. —Martin Petkov, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024

What Happens if the U.S. Doesn’t Find a Solution? Satellite systems — America’s GPS, China’s Beidou, Europe’s Galileo and Russia’s Glonass — are the important sources of time, and time is the cornerstone of most methods of navigation. —Chris Buckley, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2024

His latest project, Blue Electric Light, is an effervescent expression of joy and radiation of good vibes – the message that lies at the cornerstone of Kravitz’ entire catalog. —Rivea Ruff, Essence, 25 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids 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