foundation

Where does the word "foundation" come from? It comes from Latin fundus, passing through Latin before entering English (1300s).

Foundation’s story begins in Latin: fundus meant “bottom, base.” Bottom, base, giving rise to fundare (to lay a foundation). Within Latin, it grew into fundatio by ancient. A founding, a laying of a base, from fundare. It reached English by 1300s as foundation. Settled as the English word for the base of a structure, or an organization set up for a purpose. Today, foundation means the base on which a structure rests, or an organization set up to support a cause.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient fundus "bottom, base", bottom, base, giving rise to fundare (to lay a foundation).
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient fundatio "a founding, a laying of a base", a founding, a laying of a base, from fundare.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s foundation "the base of a structure, or an organization set up for a purpose", settled as the English word for the base of a structure, or an organization set up for a purpose.