foundation stone

noun

1
: a stone in the foundation of a building
especially : such a stone laid with public ceremony compare cornerstone
2

Examples of foundation stone in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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This gravestone represents the foundation stone upon which Real Madrid was built. James Pearce, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025 Developers laid the first foundation stone for the museum in 2002 but construction did not begin until 2005. Ayat Al-Tawy, ABC News, 2 Nov. 2025 There, beside the shiplike hulk of the Basilica of San Petronio—which is a work in progress, the foundation stone having been laid in 1390, and which somebody really should get around to finishing one of these days—was a vast white screen. Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025 In 1872, Alexandra, then also the Princess of Wales, laid the foundation stone of the older hospital building and sealed a time capsule, which contained a copy of The Times and a photo of Queen Victoria. Meredith Kile, People.com, 28 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for foundation stone

Word History

First Known Use

1628, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of foundation stone was in 1628

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Cite this Entry

“Foundation stone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foundation%20stone. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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