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

Elevating The Kickoff Experience While these foundational pillars are essential, truly exceptional sales kickoffs go beyond the basics. —Anjai Lal, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025

Music videos continue to be a foundational element, with 300 of them having cracked the 1 billion views mark. —Dade Hayes, Deadline, 23 Apr. 2025

Bizarre news stories, social media spectacles, and culture-defining moments — like Drake warring with Kendrick Lamar, Trump’s return to office, or the hysteria swelling around Luigi Mangione — are foundational to the 35-year-old’s comedy. —Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 23 Apr. 2025

Sales of these foundational texts have surged in 2025. —Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 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