founder English · revision 5064

+ Founder, one who establishes something, and founder, to sink, are different words, though both go back to Latin words for a base or bottom.^(MWU 2024)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˈfaʊn.də/, US /ˈfaʊn.dɚ/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ {{homograph|1|one who founds}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1303|origins=la fundator}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|foundour]], [[bor|xno|fundur]] and Old French fondeor, from [[la|fundātor]], an agent noun from fundāre “to lay a foundation”,^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) the source of [[found]].^(Etymonline) MWU says the Middle English ending was altered under the influence of -er.^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ One who establishes an institution with an endowment: 1303 in the OED, the mid-14th century in Etymonline.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ One who sets up something for the first time is from 1340–70,^(OED 1989) and one who raises a building from 1387.^(OED 1989) The feminine ''foundress'' is from the early 15th century.^(Etymonline) ''Founder member'' is from 1889.^(OED 1989) A different agent noun, from [[found]] “to cast metal”, is a founder or caster of metal, from about 1400 (1402 in the OED).^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1303 – one who endows an institution.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1340–70 – one who sets something up.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1402 – one who casts metal.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1889 – ''founder member''.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A person who starts an organization, [[institution]] or settlement.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A person who casts metal.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ {{homograph|2|sink}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=a. 1338|origins=la fundus}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|foundren]], [[bor|fro|fondrer|t=to collapse, sink to the bottom]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) from fond “bottom”, from Latin [[m|la|fundus|t=bottom, foundation]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) Hoad takes it mainly as a shortening of earlier afounder, from Old French forms with a- and en-.^(Hoad 1986) It is related to [[fund]] and [[bottom]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ To knock down or send to the bottom: before 1338 in Barnhart, the early 14th century in Etymonline.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Middle English it usually meant to fall to the ground, rather than to sink, and in the late 14th century it was used of a horse stumbling and going lame, as in Chaucer.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) Of a ship filling with water and sinking it is from the 16th century,^(Hoad 1986)^(Barnhart 1988) and the figurative sense, to fail, from the 1580s.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * a. 1338 – to knock down.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1385 – to stumble, of a horse.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 16th century – of a ship, to sink.^(Hoad 1986)

+ * 1580s – figurative, to fail.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # Of a ship, to fill with water and sink.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To fail completely: ''the plan foundered''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Of a horse, to stumble or go [[lame]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[found]]

+ * [[foundation]]

+ * [[fund]]

+ * [[foundress]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}