Founder
/ˈfaʊn.dər/noun
A person who establishes an organization, institution, or settlement.
Did you know?The word ultimately comes from Latin *fundus*, meaning “bottom” or “base,” which is the same root behind *fundamental* and *found* in the sense of “establish.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bhudh- / *bheudh-
“A deep-rooted base or bottom; the origin of words for ground, depth, and foundation in later languages.”
Latin
Latin
fundus
“Bottom, base, or foundation.”
Late Latin
Latin
fundāre
“To found, set up on a base; to establish.”
Old French
Old French
founder
“To establish or lay a foundation.”
Middle English
English
founden
“To establish, create, or set firmly in place.”
Modern English
English
founder
“A person who establishes something; also, to sink or collapse, by a separate but related development.”
Explore more surprising origins