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

People who supported Joe Biden or Kamala Harris or Hillary Clinton—those candidates didn’t want to throw out Trump votes, which seems foundational in democracy. —Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2025

Then, Get Hands-On Experience Real-world projects reinforce key frameworks After completing her foundational learning, Alex can begin signing up for courses that introduce her to areas of business like accounting, finance, information systems or marketing, to name a few. —Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025

For a long time, Jackson County couldn’t meet basic, foundational public health needs, Dlugolecki said, but local leaders have helped infuse additional resources into the agency. —Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2025

Kyra Gaunt, a Black woman who is a foundational figure in the study of hip-hop, worked as a professor of ethnomusicology at the University of Virginia from 1996 to 2002. —A.d. Carson, The Conversation, 7 Apr. 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