fundament

noun

fun·​da·​ment ˈfən-də-mənt How to pronounce fundament (audio)
1
: an underlying ground, theory, or principle
2
a
b
: anus
3
: the part of a land surface that has not been altered by human activities

Examples of fundament in a Sentence

a naked fundament was clearly visible for an instant in the movie
Recent Examples on the Web What’s the fundament of it all? Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Nov. 2022 This feeling was a fundament of poetry. Anna Holmes, The New Yorker, 31 Jan. 2022 That treatment didn’t reach any of the fundament of what was going on. David Milch, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2022 The fundament of banking is to borrow money offering low risk to the lender and some payment for their deposit as an incentive and then lend that money out at a higher risk to capture a profit. Clem Chambers, Forbes, 18 July 2022 Concentrate on the fundaments of California cuisine: salads, pastas, heartier meats. Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2019 But if poetry is the fundament of the Oulipo, prose has brought it its greatest triumphs, a fact that is reflected in this anthology only somewhat. Luc Sante, Harper's magazine, 10 Jan. 2019 He is particularly concerned about Trump’s attack on institutions that are fundaments of democracy, like a free press, an independent judiciary, the legitimacy of elections, and the importance of honesty. Annie Linskey, BostonGlobe.com, 15 Apr. 2018 For me, there is a lot of personal emotion in the record that is deep down to the core, but also the true fundaments of being in the studio. Taylor Weatherby, Billboard, 5 Oct. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fundament.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin fundāmentum "foundation, basis," from fundāre "to establish, found entry 4" + -mentum -ment; replacing earlier and Middle English foundement, borrowed from Anglo-French fundement, fondement, borrowed from Latin fundāmentum

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fundament was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near fundament

Cite this Entry

“Fundament.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fundament. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

fundament

noun
fun·​da·​ment ˈfən-də-mənt How to pronounce fundament (audio)
1
2
: anus

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