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

The convention is a three-day celebration of the community built around the show, its charming and relatable characters, complex storytelling, signature art style and foundational theme of friendship that so many fans love. —Claudia Levens, jsonline.com, 23 Nov. 2025

The takeaway, echoed by the group, is that legal literacy is now a foundational skill for producers. —Essie Assibu, Variety, 22 Nov. 2025

Artemis 2 is a foundational step toward establishing a sustained human presence on and around the moon. —Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 21 Nov. 2025

This foundational work has importance in both Earth science and astrochemistry. —Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 21 Nov. 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