foundation

English

Etymology

From Middle English foundacioun, fundacioun, from Old French fondacion, from Latin fundātiō (“founding, foundation”).

Pronunciation

(Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /faʊnˈdeɪʃən/, [faʊ̯nˈdeɪ̯ʃn̩]
Audio (GA) (file)
Rhymes: -eɪʃən

Noun

foundation (countable and uncountable, plural foundations)

The act of founding, fixing, establishing, or beginning to erect.
Synonym: establishment
Antonyms: abolition, dissolution, ruination
The foundation of his institute has been wrought with difficulty.
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; underbuilding.
Synonyms: basis, groundwork, underbuilding, underframework
- 1777, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, The School for Scandal, IV.iii:
  Aye Madam to be sure that is the Provoking circumstance—without Foundation—yes yes—there's the mortification indeed—for when a slanderous story is believed against one—there certainly is no comfort like the consciousness of having deserved it——
- 2013 July 20, “The attack of the MOOCs”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8845:
  Since the launch early last year of […] two Silicon Valley start-ups offering free education through MOOCs, massive open online courses, the ivory towers of academia have been shaken to their foundations. University brands built in some cases over centuries have been forced to contemplate the possibility that information technology will rapidly make their existing business model obsolete.
(figurative) The result of the work to begin something; that which stabilizes and allows an enterprise or system to develop.
Synonyms: groundwork, platform, stage
- 2006, K P Yadav, Economic Planning And Restructuring, Sarup & Sons, →ISBN, page 44:
  The implication is that the Gandhian model of growth is possible, now that Nehru's investment strategy had already laid a strong foundation for economic growth.
(card games) In solitaire or patience games, one of the piles of cards that the player attempts to build, usually holding all cards of a suit in ascending order.
(architecture) 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.
Synonyms: base, groundwall
- 2012 May 20, Nathan Rabin, “TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “Marge Gets A Job” (season 4, episode 7; originally aired 11/05/1992)”, in The Onion AV Club:
  “Marge Gets A Job” opens with the foundation of the Simpson house tilting perilously to one side, making the family homestead look like the suburban equivalent of the Leaning Tower Of Pisa.
The foundations of this construction have been laid out.
A donation or legacy appropriated to support a charitable institution, and constituting a permanent fund; endowment.
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.
(cosmetics) Cosmetic cream roughly skin-colored, designed to make the face appear uniform in color and texture.
A basis for social bodies or intellectual disciplines.
- 2013 August 3, “Boundary problems”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8847:
  Economics is a messy discipline: too fluid to be a science, too rigorous to be an art. Perhaps it is fitting that economists’ most-used metric, gross domestic product (GDP), is a tangle too. […] But as a foundation for analysis it is highly subjective: it rests on difficult decisions about what counts as a territory, what counts as output and how to value it. Indeed, economists are still tweaking it.

Derived terms

foundational
foundation degree
foundationer
foundation garment
foundationless
foundation myth
foundation stone
foundationwear
lay a foundation
microfoundation

Translations

act of founding

Arabic: إِنْشاء‎ (ar) (ʾinšāʾ), إِشَادَة‎ (ʾišāda), إِيجاد‎ (ʾījād), تَأْسِيس‎ (ar) (taʾsīs), رَفْع‎ (ar) (rafʿ)
Armenian: հիմնադրում (hy) (himnadrum), հիմնում (hy) (himnum)
Bulgarian: основаване (bg) n (osnovavane)
Catalan: fundació (ca) f
Chinese:
Mandarin: 奠基 (zh) (diànjī)
Czech: založení (cs) n
Danish: grundlæggelse c
Dutch: stichting (nl) f
Esperanto: fondo (eo)
Finnish: perustaminen (fi)
French: fondation (fr) f
German: Gründung (de) f
Greek: ίδρυση (el) n (ídrysi), σύσταση (el) f (sýstasi)
Ancient: ἵδρυμα n (hídruma)
Hebrew: ייסוד‎ m (yesud), כינון‎ m (kinun)
Hindi: इजात m (ijāt)
Italian: fondazione (it) f
Japanese: 建設 (ja) (kensetsu), 設立 (ja) (setsuritsu), 創立 (ja) (sōritsu), 樹立 (ja) (juritsu)
Kazakh: іргетас (ırgetas)
Latin: fundatio f
Occitan: fondacion (oc) f
Papiamentu: fundashon
Polish: założenie (pl) n, ufundowanie n
Portuguese: fundação (pt) f
Romanian: fondare f, întemeiere (ro) f, înființare (ro) f, fundamentare (ro) f-, fundație (ro) f, temelie (ro) f
Russian: основа́ние (ru) n (osnovánije), учрежде́ние (ru) n (učreždénije)
Serbo-Croatian:
Roman: utemeljenje, osnívānje (sh), fundiranje, zasnivanje
Spanish: fundación (es) f
Swedish: grundläggning (sv) c
Turkish: kuruluş (tr)
Ukrainian: заснува́ння n (zasnuvánnja)

that upon which anything is founded

Arabic: أَسَاس‎ (ar) m (ʾasās), قَاعِدَة‎ (ar) f (qāʿida)
Armenian: հիմք (hy) (himkʿ)
Assamese: ভেটি (bheti)
Azerbaijani: bünövrə (az), təməl (az), özül (az), əsas (az)
Bashkir: нигеҙ (nigeð)
Bulgarian: основа (bg) f (osnova)
Catalan: fundació (ca) f
Chinese:
Mandarin: 基礎／基础 (zh) (jīchǔ)
Czech: základy (cs) m pl
Danish: fundament n, grundlag n
Dutch: fundament (nl) n
Esperanto: fundamento (eo)
Finnish: perustus (fi) (concrete), perusta (fi) (figuratively)
French: fondation (fr) f, fondement (fr) m
Galician: fundamento (gl) m, alicerces (gl) m pl, cimentos (gl) m pl
German: Grundlage (de) f
Greek: θεμέλιο (el) n (themélio)
Ancient: θεμέλιον n (themélion)
Hebrew: יסוד‎ (he) m, בָּסִיס‎ (he) m (bɑsis)
Hindi: कायदा (hi) m (kāydā), क़ायदा m (qāydā)
Icelandic: grunnur (is) m
Irish: bunsraith f
Italian: fondamenta (it) f pl
Japanese: 礎 (ja) (ishizue), 基礎 (ja) (kiso), 土台 (ja) (dodai)
Korean: 기초 (ko) (gicho)
Kurdish:
Central Kurdish: بِناغە‎ (ku) (binaẍe)
Latin: fundāmen n, fundāmentum n
Malayalam: അടിസ്ഥാനം (ml) (aṭisthānaṃ), അടിത്തറ (ml) (aṭittaṟa)
Maori: tūāpapa
Mirandese: aliçace m
Navajo: bindiiʼá
Norwegian: fundament
Occitan: fondacion (oc) f, fondament (oc) m
Plautdietsch: Grunt m
Polish: fundament (pl)
Portuguese: fundação (pt) f, base (pt) f, fundamento (pt) m, alicerce (pt) m
Quechua: manqu
Romanian: fundament (ro) n, fundație (ro) f, temelie (ro) f, temei (ro) n
Russian: фунда́мент (ru) m (fundáment), осно́ва (ru) f (osnóva), ба́зис (ru) m (bázis)
Sanskrit: धरुण (sa) n (dharuṇa)
Serbo-Croatian:
Cyrillic: по̏длога f, фунда̀мент m
Roman: pȍdloga (sh) f, fundàment (sh) m
Sindhi: پِيڙهه‎ f, بنياد‎ m
Slovak: základy m pl
Spanish: cimiento (es) m
Swahili: msingi (sw)
Swedish: grund (sv) c, fundament (sv) n
Tagalog: kinababatayan
Tocharian B: ścmoñña
Turkish: temel (tr)
Ugaritic: 𐎊𐎒𐎄 (ysd)
Ukrainian: фунда́мент m (fundáment)
Welsh: sylfaen (cy)

result of the work to begin something

Finnish: perusta (fi)
Malayalam: അടിത്തറ (ml) (aṭittaṟa)
Spanish: cimiento (es)

pile of cards

Finnish: peruspakka

lowest and supporting part or member of a wall

Armenian: հիմք (hy) (himkʿ)
Bashkir: нигеҙ (nigeð)
Bulgarian: фундамент (bg) m (fundament), основа (bg) f (osnova)
Catalan: fonaments (ca)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 地基 (zh) (dìjī)
Danish: fundament n
Dutch: fundering (nl)
Esperanto: institucio, fundamento (eo)
Finnish: perustus (fi)
French: fondation (fr) f
Galician: fundamento (gl) m, cimento (gl) m
Georgian: please add this translation if you can
German: Fundament (de) n, Gründung (de) f
Greek: θεμέλιο (el) n (themélio)
Hebrew: תשתית‎ f (tàshteet)
Icelandic: grunnur (is) m
Irish: bunsraith f
Italian: fondazione (it) f
Kabuverdianu: pardueru, pardueru, pardiere
Khmer: ឃរមូល (km) (kʰea’rea’muul), ធារ (km) (tʰie)
Maori: tūāpapa, tūāpapa
Mongolian: please add this translation if you can
Norwegian: grunnmur
Old English: grundweall m
Persian: فونداسیون‎ (fa) (fondâsion)
Polish: fundament (pl) m
Portuguese: base (pt) f
Quechua: manqu, takay
Romanian: fundație (ro) f, temelie (ro) f, bază (ro) f
Russian: цо́коль (ru) m (cókolʹ)
Scottish Gaelic: bun-stèidh f
Serbo-Croatian:
Cyrillic: тѐмељ m, фунда̀мент m
Roman: tèmelj (sh) m, fundàment (sh) m
Sindhi: پِيڙهه‎ f, بنياد‎ m
Spanish: cimiento (es) m
Swahili: msingi (sw)
Swedish: grund (sv) c, bas (sv) c
Thai: please add this translation if you can
Turkish: kāide, temel (tr)
Vietnamese: nền móng (vi)

legacy constituting a permanent fund of charitable institution

Bulgarian: фондация f (fondacija)
Finnish: peruspääoma
French: fondation (fr) f
Polish: fundacja (pl) f
Portuguese: dote (pt) m
Romanian: fundație (ro) f, fond (ro) n
Russian: фонд (ru) m (fond)
Serbo-Croatian:
Cyrillic: фонда́ција f, за́дужбина f
Roman: fondácija (sh) f, zádužbina (sh) f
Sindhi: پِيڙهڪا‎ f
Swedish: grundplåt (sv) c, kapital (sv) n, fond (sv) c, arv (sv) n, testamente (sv) n, förmögenhet (sv) c, stiftelse (sv) c, donation (sv) c
Turkish: kuruluş (tr)

endowed institution or charity

Arabic: أَوْقاف‎ (ʾawqāf), حُبُس‎ (ar) (ḥubus), حَبيس‎, حَبيسَة‎
Armenian: հիմնադրամ (hy) (himnadram)
Bashkir: хәйриә (xäyriä)
Breton: diazezadur m
Bulgarian: фондация f (fondacija)
Catalan: fundació (ca) f
Cherokee: ᎦᎫᏍᏓᎥ (gagusdav)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 基金會／基金会 (zh) (jījīnhuì)
Czech: nadace (cs) f
Dutch: stichting (nl) f
Esperanto: fondaĵo
Finnish: säätiö (fi)
French: fondation (fr) f
German: Stiftung (de) f
Greek: ίδρυμα (el) n (ídryma)
Hebrew: קרן‎ (he) f (keren)
Hungarian: alapítvány (hu)
Icelandic: stofnun f
Japanese: 基金 (ja) (kikin), 財団 (ja) (zaidan)
Kurdish:
Central Kurdish: دەسگا‎ (desga), دەزگا‎ (ku) (dezga)
Malay: yayasan
Meänkieli: stiftelsi
Norwegian:
Bokmål: stiftelse m
Nynorsk: stiftelse m, stifting f
Occitan: fondacion (oc) f
Polish: fundacja (pl) f
Portuguese: fundação (pt) f
Romanian: fundație (ro) f, așezământ (ro) n
Russian: фонд (ru) m (fond)
Sindhi: پِيڙهڪا‎ f
Spanish: fundación (es) f
Swedish: stiftelse (sv) c, fond (sv) c
Thai: มูลนิธิ (th) (muun-lá-ní-tí)
Turkish: vakıf (tr), yardım kurumu
Ukrainian: фонд m (fond), фундація f (fundacija)
Welsh: sefydliad (cy) m

cosmetic cream

Arabic: أَسَاس‎ (ar) m (ʾasās)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 粉底 (zh) (fěndǐ)
Finnish: alusvoide (fi)
French: fond de teint (fr) m
German: Foundation (de) f
Greek: φον ντε τεν (el) n (fon de ten)
Hungarian: alapozó (hu)
Icelandic: meik (is) n
Japanese: ファンデーション (ja) (fandēshon)
Korean: 파운데이션 (ko) (paundeisyeon)
Polish: podkład (pl) m
Portuguese: base (pt) f
Romanian: fond de ten (ro) n
Russian: тона́льный крем m (tonálʹnyj krem)
Serbo-Croatian:
Cyrillic: по̏длога f
Roman: pȍdloga (sh) f
Spanish: base (es) f
Swedish: foundation (sv) c
Thai: รองพื้น (rɔɔng-pʉ́ʉn)
Turkish: fondöten (tr)

basis for social bodies; intellectual disciplines

Finnish: perusta (fi)
Galician: fundamento (gl) m

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

Afrikaans: ^{(please verify)} stigting (af)
Italian: ^{(please verify)} fondamenta (it)
Vietnamese: ^{(please verify)} nền (vi)