founding father

noun

1

: an originator of an institution or movement : founder

2

often capitalized both Fs : a leading figure in the founding of the U.S.

specifically : a member of the American Constitutional Convention of 1787

Synonyms

• author
• begetter
• creator
• establisher
• father
• founder
• generator
• inaugurator
• initiator
• instituter
• institutor
• originator
• sire

Examples of founding father in a Sentence

a tribute to Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and the other Founding Fathers

Theodor Herzl is often credited as the founding father of modern Zionism.

Recent Examples on the Web

After years of touring in the role, Morgan Anita Wood will debut as Elizabeth Schuyler, the wife of the titular founding father, Alexander Hamilton, July 16 at the Richard Rogers Theatre in New York City. —Holly V. Hays, The Indianapolis Star, 5 July 2024

By many accounts, our founding fathers held wildly differing opinions and argued fiercely. —Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 4 July 2024

After the scholars, comedians are perhaps the most likely to take up the question of slavery among the founding fathers. —Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2024

Kapuscinski is the founding father and presiding deity of the contemporary Polish school of reportage, of which Szablowski is now a leading practitioner. —Timothy Garton Ash, Foreign Affairs, 11 Dec. 2018

Word History

First Known Use

1892, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

founding father

noun

found·​ing father

ˈfau̇n-diŋ-

1

: one that starts or helps to start an institution or a movement

2

often capitalized : a leading figure in the founding of the U.S.

Legal Definition

founding father

noun

found·​ing fa·​ther

often capitalized both Fs

: a leading figure in the founding of the U.S.

specifically : a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1787