founder

¹

[ foun-der ]

noun

1. a person who founds or establishes something, as a company or institution.

founder

²

[ foun-der ]

verb (used without object)

1. (of a ship, boat, etc.) to fill with water and sink.
2. to fall or sink down, as buildings, ground, etc.:

   Built on a former lake bed, the building has foundered nearly ten feet.

3. to become wrecked; fail utterly:

   The project foundered because public support was lacking.

   Synonyms: flop, perish, sink, topple, succumb, collapse

4. to stumble, break down, or go lame, as a horse:

   His mount foundered on the rocky path.

5. to become ill from overeating.
6. Veterinary Pathology. (of a horse) to suffer from laminitis.

verb (used with object)

1. to cause to fill with water and sink:

   Rough seas had foundered the ship in mid-ocean.

2. Veterinary Pathology. to cause (a horse) to break down, go lame, or suffer from laminitis.

noun

1. Veterinary Pathology. laminitis ( def ).

founder

³

[ foun-der ]

noun

1. a person who founds or casts metal, glass, etc.

founder

¹

/ ˈfaʊndə /

verb

1. (of a ship) to sink
2. to break down or fail

   the project foundered

3. to sink into or become stuck in soft ground
4. to fall in or give way; collapse
5. (of a horse) to stumble or go lame
6. archaic.
   (of animals, esp livestock) to become ill from overeating

noun

1. vet science another name for laminitis

founder

²

/ ˈfaʊndə /

noun

1. 1. a person who makes metal castings
   2. ( in combination )

      an iron founder

founder

³

/ ˈfaʊndə /

noun

1. a person who establishes an institution, company, society, etc

Usage

Founder is sometimes wrongly used where flounder is meant: this unexpected turn of events left him floundering (not foundering )

Other Words From

• un·foundered adjective
• un·founder·ing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of founder¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English found(o)ur, foundere, fundre “original builder of a city, church, castle, or city; founder of a country,” from Anglo-French fundur, from Old French fondeor, from Latin fundātōr-, stem of fundātor; found ¹; -er ¹( def )

Origin of founder²

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English foundren, funder, fonder, from Old French fondrer “to plunge to the bottom, submerge,” from Vulgar Latin fundorāre (unattested), derivative of fundor-, an s -stem noun interpreted as stem of Latin fundus, actually an o -stem noun (stem fund- ) “bottom”

Origin of founder³

First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English foundour, founder, from Old French fondeur, from fondre “to melt, cast”; found ³, -er ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of founder¹

C13: from Old French fondrer to submerge, from Latin fundus bottom; see found ²

Origin of founder²

C15: see found ³

Origin of founder³

C14: see found ²

Example Sentences

“This is a major milestone that marks a great leap in understanding of the human body,” said Dr Sarah Teichmann, from the University of Cambridge and one of the founders of the Human Cell Atlas.

From BBC

Dame Jasvinder is a prominent human rights campaigner and the founder of the charity Karma Nirvana, which helps victims of honour-based abuse.

From BBC

"When I created this group, it was very much pushing on an open door," said founder and GP Rebecca Foljambe.

From BBC

Tina Leslie, the founder of Freedom 4 Girls - a period poverty charity - said it was unfair to penalise girls for something they could not prevent.

From BBC

Jimmy Lai, the 76-year-old founder of the now-defunct Hong Kong tabloid Apple Daily, is taking the stand on Wednesday in a national security trial that may see him sentenced to life imprisonment.

From BBC

Related Words

• architect
• author
• benefactor
• builder
• creator
• designer
• inventor
• organizer
• patron
• planner