Definitions for Foundation
faʊnˈdeɪ ʃənFoun·da·tion

Princeton's WordNet(4.50 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. foundation(noun)

   the basis on which something is grounded

   "there is little foundation for his objections"

2. foundation(noun)

   an institution supported by an endowment

3. foundation, base, fundament, foot, groundwork, substructure, understructure(noun)

   lowest support of a structure

   "it was built on a base of solid rock"; "he stood at the foot of the tower"

4. foundation, grounding(noun)

   education or instruction in the fundamentals of a field of knowledge

   "he lacks the foundation necessary for advanced study"; "a good grounding in mathematics"

5. basis, base, foundation, fundament, groundwork, cornerstone(noun)

   the fundamental assumptions from which something is begun or developed or calculated or explained

   "the whole argument rested on a basis of conjecture"

6. foundation garment, foundation(noun)

   a woman's undergarment worn to give shape to the contours of the body

7. initiation, founding, foundation, institution, origination, creation, innovation, introduction, instauration(noun)

   the act of starting something for the first time; introducing something new

   "she looked forward to her initiation as an adult"; "the foundation of a new scientific society"

Wiktionary(3.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. foundation(Noun)

   The act of founding, fixing, establishing, or beginning to erect.

   The foundation of his institute has been wrought with difficulty.

   Etymology: From fundatio.

2. foundation(Noun)

   That upon which anything is founded; that on which anything stands, and by which it is supported; the lowest and supporting layer of a superstructure; groundwork; basis; underbuilding.

   Etymology: From fundatio.

3. foundation(Noun)

   The lowest and supporting part or member of a wall, including the base course and footing courses; in a frame house, the whole substructure of masonry.

   The foundations of this construction have been laid out.

   Etymology: From fundatio.

4. foundation(Noun)

   A donation or legacy appropriated to support a charitable institution, and constituting a permanent fund; endowment.

   Etymology: From fundatio.

5. foundation(Noun)

   That which is founded, or established by endowment; an endowed institution or charity.

   The Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. is the parent organization of the Wiktionary collaborative project.

   Etymology: From fundatio.

6. foundation(Noun)

   Cosmetic cream roughly skin-colored, designed to make the face appear uniform in color and texture.

   Etymology: From fundatio.

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Foundation(noun)

   the act of founding, fixing, establishing, or beginning to erect

   Etymology: [F. fondation, L. fundatio. See Found to establish.]

2. Foundation(noun)

   that upon which anything is founded; that on which anything stands, and by which it is supported; the lowest and supporting layer of a superstructure; groundwork; basis

   Etymology: [F. fondation, L. fundatio. See Found to establish.]

3. Foundation(noun)

   the lowest and supporting part or member of a wall, including the base course (see Base course (a), under Base, n.) and footing courses; in a frame house, the whole substructure of masonry

   Etymology: [F. fondation, L. fundatio. See Found to establish.]

4. Foundation(noun)

   a donation or legacy appropriated to support a charitable institution, and constituting a permanent fund; endowment

   Etymology: [F. fondation, L. fundatio. See Found to establish.]

5. Foundation(noun)

   that which is founded, or established by endowment; an endowed institution or charity

   Etymology: [F. fondation, L. fundatio. See Found to establish.]

Freebase(4.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Foundation

   A foundation is a legal categorization of nonprofit organizations that will typically either donate funds and support to other organizations, or provide the source of funding for its own charitable purposes. This type of non-profit organization differs from a private foundation which is typically endowed by an individual or family.

Military Dictionary and Gazetteer(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. foundation

   In military architecture, is that part of a building which is underground, or the mass of stone, brick, etc., which supports a building, or upon which the walls of a superstructure are raised; or it is the coffer or bed dug below the level of the ground to raise a building upon.

Editors Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. foundation

   A type of structure as a basis to create.

   The foundations of a house are very important.

   Submitted by MaryC on December 27, 2019  

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'Foundation' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #2674

2. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'Foundation' in Nouns Frequency: #909

How to pronounce Foundation?

1. Alex

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

How to say Foundation in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of Foundation in Chaldean Numerology is: 3

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of Foundation in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2

Examples of Foundation in a Sentence

1. Alessandro Profumo:

   We'll discuss it on Tuesday after the foundation's decision.

2. Auma Obama:

   Given that his own mission under the Obama Foundation is to inspire and empower people to change the world, his attendance at this event at our ancestral home, where our father was laid to rest, is of great significance to me.

3. Thomas Kempis:

   The loftier the building, the deeper must the foundation be laid.

4. Deodatta V. Shenai-Khatkhate:

   I still remember two life-sized marble statues of two great scientists in the corridor of Manchester Town Hall, which I saw many years ago. One of them is of John Dalton, the founder of modern Chemistry and the Atomic Theory, while the second statue is of James Prescott Joule, the founder of modern Physics and the discoverer of the Law of Conservation of Energy. I consider myself very fortunate to be the student of the University of Manchester, the home of great scientists, Dalton and Joule. And most importantly, I am proud to be the recipient of Dalton Chemical Research Scholarship that enabled me to obtain my Ph.D. I am thankful to The University of Manchester as much as to John Dalton's Trust Foundation, for the greatest educational experience of my life.

5. James Nestor:

   Stanford University scientists knew it wasn't going to be good, because there's a very firm scientific foundation showing all the deleterious effects of mouth breathing, from periodontal disease to metabolic disorders.

Images & Illustrations of Foundation

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