foundational

adjective

foun·​da·​tion·​al fau̇n-ˈdā-sh(ə-)nəl 

: of, relating to, or forming or serving as a base or foundation : fundamental

foundational principles/doctrines

These foundational volumes proved to be, each in its own way, enabling gestures for the growth of sophisticated theories and critical practices in African, Caribbean, and African American literatures.

—Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

Property was, in a sense, foundational to culture, since English political economy rested on the private ownership of land, and the political economy, in turn, largely structured social relations.

—Jill Lepore

Philosophy is a foundational discipline. Not only does it do the spadework that makes the construction of other disciplines possible; it also pays constant attention to the foundations of those disciplines as they are practiced.

—Cognitive Science

foundationally adverb

Examples of foundational in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Health equity is foundational to the well-being of every community, yet barriers to critical healthcare continue to affect underserved populations. —Essence, 5 July 2025

In revisiting Frederick Douglass’s passionate indictment of America’s foundational contradictions, we are reminded that confronting these contradictions remains an unfinished task. —Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 4 July 2025

Miami Palmetto Senior High School This top-ranking magnet school offers high school students a range of college and career tracks, including technical education and visual or performing arts, while also developing strong foundational skills. —Jp Shaffer july 3, Miami Herald, 3 July 2025

This shift will require even the most junior employees and individual contributors to master three foundational management skills: Describing a task clearly, delegating it effectively to an AI agent, and supervising the results. —Marco Argenti, Fortune, 3 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1657, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for foundational

• formational
• gestational
• gradational
• locational
• mutational
• nonrational
• notational
• relational
• rotational
• sensational
• translational
• vibrational