fundament

The fundament is the underlying base of a structure or object, providing support and distributing loads to the ground. In English, the standard term is foundation; fundament is mainly found in German, Scandinavian languages, and in older or technical uses as a loanword. The word derives from Latin fundamentum, through Old French fondement or related forms.

In construction, a fundament refers to the component of a building or structure that rests on the soil and transfers loads into the ground. Design considers soil bearing capacity, settlement, groundwater, frost protection, and drainage. Common types include shallow foundations (pad or isolated footings, strip footings, raft or mat foundations) and deep foundations (piles, drilled shafts). Materials are typically reinforced concrete, sometimes masonry or steel, and foundations may be isolated, combined, or continuous.

Beyond physical structures, fundament can denote the fundamental basis or groundwork of a concept, theory, or system. In English, this usage is formal or archaic; the preferred terms are foundation or basis. The word is more common in Germanic languages, where fundament serves as the standard term for a base, bottom, or foot of a structure as well as for foundational ideas.

In practice, the choice between fundament and foundation reflects language convention rather than a difference in meaning. Both denote the part that supports and stabilizes what lies above, but foundation is the universal term in contemporary English usage.