Word
founder
US/ˈfaʊndɝ/
UK/fˈaʊndɐ/
Definitions
01person who starts something
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. someone who starts a new company, organization, or school.
n. one who establishes or creates an institution, company, or organization.
“The founder of the tech company started the business in his garage.”
“The university's founder donated a significant portion of his private estate to ensure the library remained open to the public.”
Synonyms
02metal worker
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Technical
n. a person who works with hot metal and pours it into shapes.
n. a person who casts metal in a foundry.
“The master founder carefully poured the liquid bronze into the statue's mold.”
“The industrial museum features a preserved workshop where a skilled founder once produced intricate iron gates for the city.”
Synonyms
03to fail
C1 · Advanced Formal
v. to fail or break down completely.
v. to experience complete failure or to break down; often used of plans, negotiations, or relationships.
“The peace talks foundered because neither side wanted to compromise.”
“The ambitious project foundered on a lack of funding and a series of logistical errors that the management failed to address.”
Usage
The verb is intransitive and often takes the preposition 'on'.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “founder” in context.
Verb
01. cause the project to founder
“A lack of consistent funding might cause the entire project to founder.”
verb + noun + infinitive
02. founder on the rocks
“The peace talks threatened to founder on the rocks of disagreement over territory.”
verb + prep + noun
Adjective
03. original founder
“The original founders of the charity were honored at the anniversary gala.”
adj + noun
04. sole founder
“She is the sole founder of the tech startup, having started it in her garage.”
adj + noun
Noun
05. co-founder of the company
“As a co-founder of the company, he still holds a significant number of shares.”
noun + of + noun
06. founder member
“He was a founder member of the local chess club back in 1995.”
noun + noun
Real-World Examples
“He was a founder member of the Bolton branch of CND.” “The climate crisis was always in the back of Pixel Hunt founder and Ithaca writer Florent Maurin’s mind.” Etymology
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.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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