Meanings
nounfoundationalism (uncountable)
- uncountableepistemologyThe doctrine that beliefs derive justification from certain basic beliefs
A radical denial of foundationalism is offered by social constructivism (Ernest 1998 ), an approach that many researchers in mathematics education embrace.
2008 March 21, Bernd Buldt, Benedikt Löwe, Thomas Müller, “Towards a New Epistemology of Mathematics”, in Erkenntnis, volume 68, number 3, →DOI
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*dʰewbʰ-?
- Proto-Indo-European*bʰudʰmḗn
- Proto-Indo-European*bʰudʰnós
- Proto-Indo-European*bʰundʰós
- Proto-Italic*fundos
- Latinfundus
- Latinfundō
- Latinfundātiō
- Old Frenchfondacion
- Middle Frenchfondation
- Latinfundātiō
- Middle Englishfundacioun
- Englishfoundation
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
- Englishfoundational
- Englishfoundationalism
From foundational + -ism.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Finnish fundamentalismi, foundationalismi
- fundamentalismithe doctrine that beliefs derive justification from certain basic beliefs
- foundationalismithe doctrine that beliefs derive justification from certain basic beliefs
Japanese 基礎付け主義
- 基礎付け主義the doctrine that beliefs derive justification from certain basic beliefs
Portuguese fundacionalismo, fundacionismo
- fundacionalismothe doctrine that beliefs derive justification from certain basic beliefs
- fundacionismothe doctrine that beliefs derive justification from certain basic beliefs
Cite this entry
APA
foundationalism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/foundationalism
MLA
“foundationalism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/foundationalism. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “foundationalism,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/foundationalism.
Source: foundationalism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.