foundation
noun
foun路da路tion
| \ fau虈n-藞d膩-sh蓹n
\
\
Definition of foundation
1
: the act of founding
here since the foundation of the school
2
: a basis (such as a tenet, principle, or axiom) upon which something stands or is supported
the foundations of geometry the rumor is without foundation in fact
3a
: funds given for the permanent support of an institution : endowment
b
: an organization or institution established by endowment with provision for future maintenance
a trust administered by a foundation
4
: an underlying base or support
especially
: the whole masonry substructure of a building
5a
: a body or ground upon which something is built up or overlaid
a limestone foundation
b
: a woman's supporting undergarment : corset
c
: a cosmetic usually used as a base for makeup
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Other Words from foundation
foundationless
\ fau虈n-藞d膩-sh蓹n-l蓹s
\
adjective
\
adjective
Examples of foundation in a Sentence
The inspector discovered a crack in the house's foundation.
The book explains the moral foundations on which her political career was built.
These problems threaten the very foundations of modern society.
The scandal has shaken the government to its foundations.
They established a foundation to help orphaned children.
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Recent Examples on the Web
But their island portfolio also includes family foundations and an insurer, according to documents leaked in 2017 to the German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung. — Adam Geller, courant.com, "Sackler family鈥檚 web makes it hard to track cash from Purdue Pharma," 2 Sep. 2019 Children are the foundation and the future of our society. — Kathleen King, The Mercury News, "Opinion: Support bill requiring health plans to cover hearing aids for kids," 1 Sep. 2019 The other challenges are getting more volunteers to help run the foundation and fund-raising. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Moving beyond the classroom to support kids and families with special needs," 1 Sep. 2019 The George Foundation and other foundations grant funding for our programs. — Karen Zurawski, Houston Chronicle, "SUNDAY CONVERSATION: Nonprofit aims to bring art to youths at risk, seniors," 1 Sep. 2019 This has wreaked havoc on building foundations and other infrastructure. — Scott K. Johnson, Ars Technica, "Jakarta has sunk by up to 4 meters, forcing Indonesia to build a new capital," 27 Aug. 2019 Those were the places most people found others of like minds, foundations and purposes. — Bailey Basham, Indianapolis Star, "Indiana church brings family-focused values to Binford," 23 Aug. 2019 Keep scrolling to find out their go-to non-drying lip tints, dewy foundations, and glittery eye shadows. — Allure, "The Best Korean Makeup That Every K-Beauty Fan Needs to Try," 22 Aug. 2019 The surf laps over the remains of concrete foundations and wooden pylons, knocking over construction fences. — Anchorage Daily News, "Extreme climate change has arrived in America. Here are the fastest-warming places.," 13 Aug. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'foundation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for foundation
foundation
noun
English Language Learners Definition of foundation
: a usually stone or concrete structure that supports a building from underneath
: something (such as an idea, a principle, or a fact) that provides support for something
: an organization that is created and supported with money that people give in order to do something that helps society
See the full definition for foundation in the English Language Learners Dictionary
foundation
noun
foun路da路tion
| \ fau虈n-藞d膩-sh蓹n
\
\
Kids Definition of foundation
1
: the support upon which something rests
the foundation of a building the foundations of our legal system
2
: the act of beginning or creating
He has taught here since the school's foundation.
foundation
noun
foun路da路tion
Legal Definition of foundation
1
: a basis upon which something stands or is supported
specifically
: a witness's preliminary testimony given to identify or explain evidence being offered at trial and establish its connection to the issue for which it is offered
the lack of any foundation for the orthopedic surgeon's familiarity with the鈥tandard of care rendered the surgeon's opinion testimony inadmissible — National Law Journal
Note: Before evidence can be admitted at trial, the foundation for it must be laid by the party offering it. A foundation must also be laid for the qualification of a witness as an expert, or for the assertion of a privilege.
2a
: funds given for the permanent support of an institution : endowment
b
: an organization or institution established by endowment with provision for future maintenance