Fund and Foundation Both Rest on the Bottom
A fund is a sum of money set aside. The Latin root means the bottom or base of something.
A fund is a sum of money set aside for a purpose. Latin *fundus* meant the bottom of something, or an estate — the base on which everything rests. From it English gets *fund*, *foundation*, *fundamental* and *profound*, which literally means deep towards the bottom. *Fundamental* and *fund* therefore make the same point twice: a fund is what you build on, and a fundamental principle is the floor of an argument.
- Money set aside. *A pension fund.*
- To finance. *Fund the project.*
- A stock of something. *A fund of stories.*
- Fundamental — basic. *Fundamental.*
- Latin — *fundus*, a bottom. *The root.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | fund | A fund. |
| Plural | funds | Funds. |
| Verb | fund | Funding. |
| Adjective | fundamental | Fundamental. |
| Latin | fundus | A bottom. |
- The fund supports research.Money.
- They funded the repairs.Verb.
- Fundus means a bottom.Etymology.
The fundus family
- Foundation — what a building rests on
- Fundamental — belonging to the base
- Profound — deep towards the bottom
- Founder — of a ship, to fill and sink to the bottom
- Fund — the financial base of an enterprise
Latin *fundus*, the bottom or base of something, also an estate.
Are fund and foundation related?
Yes. Both come from Latin fundus, the bottom or base, along with fundamental and profound.
Why does a ship founder?
Because it fills with water and goes to the bottom. The verb comes from the same root as foundation.