Foundational
[faʊnˈdeɪʃənəl]
Definitions
Serving as a basis or foundation; fundamental.
[faʊnˈdeɪʃənəl]
Relating to or serving as a basis or foundation, especially of an institution or system.
A strong educational background provides a foundational base for future success.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're building a LEGO tower. The foundational bricks are the ones at the very bottom that everything else rests on. Foundational means something is super important and everything else comes from it.
👶 For kids: Like the bottom of a house! It's the most important part that everything is built on.
More Examples
The foundational principles of democracy include freedom and equality.
This is a foundational concept for understanding the rest of the material.
How It's Used
"The foundational principles of early childhood education are crucial for a child's development."
"The foundational structure of the building needs reinforcement."
"The company's foundational values guide its decision-making process."
From 'foundation' + '-al'. 'Foundation' comes from the Latin 'fundamentum,' meaning 'base' or 'groundwork.' The '-al' suffix turns it into an adjective.
The term 'foundational' and 'foundation' has been used since the mid-18th century, mostly related to architecture and philosophy, gradually being applied to other areas, such as education and societal structures.
Memory tip
Think of the foundation of a building – it supports everything else, just like a foundational idea supports other concepts.
Word Origin
"fundamentum (base, foundation)"