foundational

adjective

foun·​da·​tion·​al fau̇n-ˈdā-sh(ə-)nəl 

: of, relating to, or forming or serving as a base or foundation : fundamental

foundational principles/doctrines

These foundational volumes proved to be, each in its own way, enabling gestures for the growth of sophisticated theories and critical practices in African, Caribbean, and African American literatures.

—Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

Property was, in a sense, foundational to culture, since English political economy rested on the private ownership of land, and the political economy, in turn, largely structured social relations.

—Jill Lepore

Philosophy is a foundational discipline. Not only does it do the spadework that makes the construction of other disciplines possible; it also pays constant attention to the foundations of those disciplines as they are practiced.

—Cognitive Science

foundationally adverb

Examples of foundational in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Downward-facing dog is a foundational staple in any vinyasa yoga class. —Ana Morales, Vogue, 11 Oct. 2025

Hullar will be remembered in the biochemistry field for his 1966 discovery of a chemical reaction known as the Hanessian-Hullar reaction, which has since become foundational in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals and antibiotics. —Cathie Anderson, Sacbee.com, 10 Oct. 2025

It was first reported by Gérard Férey, one of the foundational figures in the MOF and porous framework community who sadly died in 2017. —Stavroula Alina Kampouri, The Conversation, 9 Oct. 2025

That lesson became the cornerstone of his son’s future practice, where the presence of mind and service remain foundational principles. —Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 9 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1657, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for foundational

• formational
• gestational
• gradational
• locational
• mutational
• nonrational
• notational
• relational
• rotational
• sensational
• translational
• vibrational