found

1 of 5

ˈfau̇nd 

past tense and past participle of find

found

2 of 5

adjective

1

: having all usual, standard, or reasonably expected equipment

the boat comes fully found, ready to go

—Holiday

2

: presented as or incorporated into an artistic work essentially as found

sculpture of fabric, wood, and other found materials

—Hilton Kramer

found

3 of 5

noun

: free food and lodging in addition to wages

they're paid $175 a month and found

—New Yorker

found

4 of 5

verb (1)

founded; founding; founds

transitive verb

1

: to take the first steps in building

2

: to set or ground on something solid : base

3

: to establish (something) often with provision for future maintenance

found an institution

found

5 of 5

verb

founded; founding; founds

transitive verb

: to melt (a material, such as metal) and pour into a mold

Synonyms

Verb (1)

• begin
• constitute
• establish
• inaugurate
• initiate
• innovate
• institute
• introduce
• launch
• pioneer
• plant
• set up
• start

Examples of found in a Sentence

Verb (1)

John Harvard did not actually found the university that now bears his name

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Her new found edge is attributed to the sharp rise in the number of homicides in the country — more than 700 in both January and February this year, according to the Interior Ministry. —Carrie Kahn, NPR, 12 Apr. 2025

Barker is known for his viral horror movie Milk & Serial, a found footage project made for $800 that amassed 1.6 million views on YouTube and landed him meetings with practically every horror house and producer in town. —Aaron Couch, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Mar. 2025

Verb

Man Charged with Manslaughter After Student, 20, Died in Alleged Off-Campus Fraternity Hazing The fraternity was founded nationally in 1906. —Madison E. Goldberg, People.com, 3 May 2025

Carney has emphasized Canada’s founding nations, the United Kingdom and France, since becoming prime minister after the resignation of Justin Trudeau. —Rob Gillies, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

from past participle of find entry 1

Noun

from past participle of find entry 1

Verb (1)

Middle English founden, borrowed from Anglo-French fonder, funder, going back to Latin fundāre, derivative of fundus "bottom, base, foundation" — more at bottom entry 1

Verb

borrowed from Middle French fondre "to melt, cast," going back to Old French, going back to Latin fundere "to pour, shed, cast, send forth, disperse," going back to Indo-European *ǵ^hu-n-d-, present tense derivative of *ǵ^heu̯d- "pour" (also Germanic, in Old English gēotan "to pour, shed," Old High German giozan, Old Norse gjóta "to drop, throw, give birth [of animals]," Gothic giutan "to pour"), extended form of Indo-European *ǵ^heu̯- "pour," whence Greek chéō, cheîn "to pour, shed," Tocharian B kewu "I will pour," Sanskrit juhoti "(s/he) pours, sacrifices"

First Known Use

Adjective

1758, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1830, in the meaning defined above

Verb (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1562, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing found

• co-found
• found object
• found poem
• found wanting
• is nowhere to be found
• lost and found
• nowhere to be found
• well-found

Rhymes for found

• bound
• browned
• crowned
• downed
• drowned
• frowned
• gowned
• ground
• hound
• mound
• round
• sound

Kids Definition

found

1 of 3

ˈfau̇nd 

past and past participle of find

found

2 of 3 verb

: establish sense 3a

found a town

founded the company in 1847

found

3 of 3 verb

: to melt (metal) and pour into a mold

Etymology

Verb

Middle English founden "found, establish," from early French funder (same meaning), from Latin fundare (same meaning), from fundus "bottom, base" — related to fund, fundamental

Verb

from early French fondre "to pour, melt," from Latin fundere (same meaning) — related to font entry 2, founder entry 2

Legal Definition

found

1 of 2

past and past participle of find

found

2 of 2 transitive verb

: to establish (as an institution) often with provision for future maintenance