FOUNDATION

Pronunciation (US):

• FOUNDATION (noun)
  The noun FOUNDATION has 7 senses:

1. the basis on which something is grounded
2. an institution supported by an endowment
3. the fundamental assumptions from which something is begun or developed or calculated or explained
4. lowest support of a structure
5. education or instruction in the fundamentals of a field of knowledge
6. a woman's undergarment worn to give shape to the contours of the body
7. the act of starting something for the first time; introducing something new

  Familiarity information: FOUNDATION used as a noun is common.

• FOUNDATION (noun)

Meaning:

The basis on which something is grounded

Classified under:

Nouns denoting relations between people or things or ideas

Context example:

there is little foundation for his objections

Hypernyms ("foundation" is a kind of...):

relation (an abstraction belonging to or characteristic of two entities or parts together)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "foundation"):

basis; footing; ground (a relation that provides the foundation for something)

grass roots (the essential foundation or source)

Meaning:

An institution supported by an endowment

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Hypernyms ("foundation" is a kind of...):

financial institution; financial organisation; financial organization (an institution (public or private) that collects funds (from the public or other institutions) and invests them in financial assets)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "foundation"):

charity (a foundation created to promote the public good (not for assistance to any particular individuals))

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

groundwork; fundament; cornerstone; basis; foundation; base

Context example:

the whole argument rested on a basis of conjecture

Hypernyms ("foundation" is a kind of...):

assumption; supposal; supposition (a hypothesis that is taken for granted)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "foundation"):

meat and potatoes (the fundamental part)

Holonyms ("foundation" is a part of...):

explanation (thought that makes something comprehensible)

Meaning:

Lowest support of a structure

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

understructure; substructure; groundwork; fundament; base; foundation; foot

Context examples:

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

Hypernyms ("foundation" is a kind of...):

support (supporting structure that holds up or provides a foundation)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "foundation"):

bed (a foundation of earth or rock supporting a road or railroad track)

raft foundation (a foundation (usually on soft ground) consisting of an extended layer of reinforced concrete)

Holonyms ("foundation" is a part of...):

construction; structure (a thing constructed; a complex entity constructed of many parts)

Meaning:

Education or instruction in the fundamentals of a field of knowledge

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

grounding; foundation

Context examples:

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

Hypernyms ("foundation" is a kind of...):

education (knowledge acquired by learning and instruction)

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

foundation garment; foundation

Hypernyms ("foundation" is a kind of...):

undergarment; unmentionable (a garment worn under other garments)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "foundation"):

roll-on (a woman's foundation garment rolled on to the hips)

corset; girdle; stays (a woman's close-fitting foundation garment)

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

founding; instauration; origination; initiation; innovation; creation; institution; introduction; foundation

Context examples:

she looked forward to her initiation as an adult / the foundation of a new scientific society / he regards the fork as a modern introduction

Hypernyms ("foundation" is a kind of...):

beginning; commencement; start (the act of starting something)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "foundation"):

authorship; paternity (the act of initiating a new idea or theory or writing)