founder
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.someone who starts a new company, organization, or school.
n.one who establishes or creates an institution, company, or organization.
Simple“The founder of the tech company started the business in his garage.”
In context“The university's founder donated a significant portion of his private estate to ensure the library remained open to the public.”
Synonyms - 02 C2 Proficiency
n.a person who works with hot metal and pours it into shapes.
n.a person who casts metal in a foundry.
Simple“The master founder carefully poured the liquid bronze into the statue's mold.”
In context“The industrial museum features a preserved workshop where a skilled founder once produced intricate iron gates for the city.”
Synonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
v.to fail or break down completely.
v.to experience complete failure or to break down; often used of plans, negotiations, or relationships.
Simple“The peace talks foundered because neither side wanted to compromise.”
In context“The ambitious project foundered on a lack of funding and a series of logistical errors that the management failed to address.”
UsageThe verb is intransitive and often takes the preposition 'on'.
“The climate crisis was always in the back of Pixel Hunt founder and Ithaca writer Florent Maurin’s mind.”
“He was a founder member of the Bolton branch of CND.”
From Old French fondeur, from Latin fundātor, equivalent to found + -er.
From Middle French fondeur, from Latin fundo (“pour, melt, cast”).
From Middle French fondrer (“send to the bottom”), from Latin fundus (“bottom”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.