foundation

/faʊnˈdeɪʃən/

//faʊnˈdeɪʃən// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"foundation" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“foundation” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #1,635 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#1,635
frequency rank, English
10
letters
15
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The act of founding, fixing, establishing, or beginning to erect.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

foundation vs foundations
91% similar
foundation vs foundational
83% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for foundation
PropertyValue
Headwordfoundation
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/faʊnˈdeɪʃən/
Letters10
Frequency rank#1,635
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “foundation” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). foundation lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for foundation is 10 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /faʊnˈdeɪʃən/. Corpus data places it at rank #1,635 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 9 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for foundation, with forms such as "ffoundation", "fonudation", and "foudnation". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "foundations", "foundational", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English foundacioun, fundacioun, from Old French fondacion, from Latin fundātiō (“founding, foundation”). The correct English form is foundation, spelled F-O-U-N-D-A-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    The act of founding, fixing, establishing, or beginning to erect.
  2. 2
    That upon which anything is founded; that on which anything stands, and by which it is supported; the lowest and supporting layer of a superstructure; underbuilding.
  3. 3
    The result of the work to begin something; that which stabilizes and allows an enterprise or system to develop.
  4. 4
    In solitaire or patience games, one of the piles of cards that the player attempts to build, usually holding all cards of a suit in ascending order.
  5. 5
    The lowest and supporting part or member of a wall, including the base course and footing courses; in a frame house, the whole substructure of masonry.
  6. 6
    A donation or legacy appropriated to support a charitable institution, and constituting a permanent fund; endowment.
  7. 7
    That which is founded, or established by endowment; an endowed institution or charity.
  8. 8
    Cosmetic cream roughly skin-colored, designed to make the face appear uniform in color and texture.
  9. 9
    A basis for social bodies or intellectual disciplines.

Etymology

From Middle English foundacioun, fundacioun, from Old French fondacion, from Latin fundātiō (“founding, foundation”).

This word in other languages

fundación(Español)fondation(Français)Gründung(Deutsch)fundação(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ffoundation,fonudation,foudnation,founadtion,foundaiton,foundasion,foundatino,foundationn,foundatoin,foundattion,founddation,foundtaion,founndation,fuondation,ofundation

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of foundation - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ffoundation1fonudation2foudnation2founadtion2foundaiton2foundasion1foundatino2foundationn1
Edit distance from "foundation"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "foundation"?
"foundation" is spelled F-O-U-N-D-A-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /faʊnˈdeɪʃən/.
What does "foundation" mean?
As a noun, "foundation" means: The act of founding, fixing, establishing, or beginning to erect.
What words are commonly confused with "foundation"?
"foundation" is commonly confused with "foundations", "foundational". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "foundation"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "foundation" is /faʊnˈdeɪʃən/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "foundation"?
From Middle English foundacioun, fundacioun, from Old French fondacion, from Latin fundātiō (“founding, foundation”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “foundation”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is F-O-U-N-D-A-T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /faʊnˈdeɪʃən/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “foundations” - see the side-by-side comparison. foundation vs foundations
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list