Definition of FOUNDER

founder

Plural: founders

Noun

  • inflammation of the laminated tissue that attaches the hoof to the foot of a horse
  • a person who founds or establishes some institution
  • a worker who makes metal castings
  • One who founds or establishes (a company, project, organisation, state, etc.).
  • A common ancestor of some population (especially one with a certain genetic mutation).
  • The iron worker in charge of the blast furnace and the smelting operation.
  • One who casts metals in various forms; a caster.
  • A severe laminitis of a horse, caused by untreated internal inflammation in the hooves.

Verb

Verb Forms: foundered, foundering, founders

  • To become disabled; to sink or fail.
  • fail utterly; collapse
    • "The project foundered"
  • sink below the surface
  • break down, literally or metaphorically
  • stumble and nearly fall
    • "the horses foundered"
  • To flood with water and sink.
  • To fall; to stumble and go lame.
  • To fail; to miscarry.
  • To cause to flood and sink, as a ship.
  • To disable or lame (a horse) by causing internal inflammation and soreness in the feet or limbs.

Examples

  • a founder of cannon, bells, hardware, or printing types
  • a founder population
  • His Scrabble strategy began to founder after he used all his high-value letters too early.
  • the founder effect
  • The founder of Facebook is Mark Zuckerberg.

Origin / Etymology

From Old French fondeur, from Latin fundātor, equivalent to found + -er.

Synonyms

beginner, break, cave in, collapse, fall flat, fall in, fall through, father, flop, founding father, give, give way, laminitis

Antonyms

ruiner

Scrabble Score: 11

founder: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
founder: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
founder: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 13

founder: valid Words With Friends Word