noun · neutersecond declension
fundāmentum
fundāmentum n (genitive fundāmentī)
Classical[fʊn.daːˈmɛn.tũː]Ecclesiastical[fun.daˈmɛn.tum]
Meaning
- foundation
hīc portūs aliī effodiunt; hīc alta theātrīs fundāmenta locant aliī [...].
Here some [workers] are excavating a harbor; there others lay deep foundations for theaters ….29 BCE – 19 BCE, Vergilius, Aeneis 1.427–428 - beginning
- basis
Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms
Solum · Fundus · Vadum · Fundamentum
Solum, fundus, vadum, denote the natural ground and bottom of a thing; solum, that of the earth, on which one can place a firm foot, in opp. to the movable elements air and water; fundus (from fodere, βυθός,) that of a vessel, in opp. to the remaining space in the vessel; vadum (ἕδος) that of a river, ocean, or sea, in opp. to the water, which flows into it, or to standing water; whereas fundamentum denotes a foundation artificially laid, on which a building, etc. rests, and which, in addition to the solum, it particularly needs. Hence the proverbial phrase, Omnis res jam in vado est; like a swimmer who has reached the bottom of the water: and Largitio fundum non habet, like the vessel of the Danaides. Cic. Brut. 74. Solum et quasi fundamentum oratoris vides. (v. 35.)
Declension
| form | singular | plural |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | fundāmentum | fundāmenta |
| genitive | fundāmentī | fundāmentōrum |
| dative | fundāmentō | fundāmentīs |
| accusative | fundāmentum | fundāmenta |
| ablative | fundāmentō | fundāmentīs |
| vocative | fundāmentum | fundāmenta |
Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book
- fundamenta iacere, agere
- to lay the foundations.
fundāmentum, i, n. id.,
I. a foundation, ground-work, basis (class.; mostly in plur.; cf. basis).
I. Lit.
(a). Sing. (rare):
quin cum fundamento (aedes) Perierint, Plaut. Most. 1, 2, 69: substruere fundamentum, id. ib. 1, 2, 40.—(b). Plur.:
operum fastigia spectantur, latent fundamenta, Quint. prooem. § 4: agere fundamenta, Cic. Mil. 27, 75: maximorum operum, id. Marc. 8, 25: prima urbi jacere, Liv. 1, 12, 4 (cf. under II. β the passage from Cic. Fl. 2, 4): novae domus jacere, Suet. Calig. 22; cf. id. Aug. 28: alta theatri locare, Verg. A. 1, 428: altae Carthaginis locare, id. ib. 4, 266; Plin. 36, 14, 21, § 95: fodere delubro, id. 28, 2, 4, § 15: subdere per solidum, Tac. A. 4, 62: urbis quatit Neptunus, Verg. A. 2, 611: saxa turris, quibus fundamenta continebantur, convellunt, Caes. B. C. 2, 11, 3: villa a fundamentis inchoata, Suet. Caes. 46: Albam a fundamentis proruere, utterly, Liv. 26, 13, 16: urbs a fundamentis diruta, id. 42, 63, 11; 42, 67, 9.—B. Transf., the bottom, = fundus:
qui a fundamento mihi usque movisti mare, id. ib. 2, 6, 55.—II. Trop. (syn.: sedes, initium).
(a). Sing.:
meo judicio pietas fundamentum est omnium virtutum, Cic. Planc. 12, 29; cf.: fundamentum justitiae est fides, id. Off. 1, 7, 23: narratio est quaedam quasi sedes et fundamentum constituendae fidei, id. Part. 9, 31: eloquentiae, id. de Or. 3, 37, 151: philosophiae, id. Div. 2, 1, 2: initium ac fundamentum defensionis, id. Clu. 10, 30: horum criminum, id. Cael. 13, 30: quod fundamentum hujus quaestionis est, id videtis, id. N. D. 1, 17, 44: disciplina nixa fundamento veritatis, Gell. 14, 1, 20: fundamentum et causa imperii, Sen. Ep. 87, 41: caput et fundamentum intellegitur totius testamenti heredis institutio, Gai. Inst. 2, 229.—(b). Piur.:
illic radices, illic fundamenta sunt, Quint. 10, 3, 3: quibus initiis ac fundamentis hae tantae summis in rebus laudes excitatae sunt, Cic. Sest. 2, 5: libertatis, id. Balb. 13, 31: virtutum, id. Fin. 2, 22, 72; cf.: consulatus tui, id. Pis. 4, 9: senectus, quae fundamentis adolescentiae constituta est, id. de Sen. 18, 62: ad evertenda fundamenta rei publicae, id. Cat. 4, 6, 13: actionum, id. Phil. 4, 1, 1: jacere pacis fundamenta, id. ib. 1, 1, 1; so with jacio: rei publicae, id. Fam. 12, 25, 2: civitatis, id. N. D. 3, 2, 5; id. Ac. 2, 12, 37; id. Sull. 10, 30; Curt. 5, 1, 29; Lact. 7, 1, 1: defensionis, Cic. Mur. 6, 14: salutis suae, id. Fam. 10, 29: non praeterit me quam magnarum rerum fundamenta ponam senex, Sen. Q. N. 3 praef. 1: vitae, id. Ep. 13, 16: impudentiae, Quint 12, 6, 2: futuri oratoris, id. ib. 1, 4, 5; for which also with the dat. (cf. supra I. the passage from Liv. 1, 12, 4): cui causae, Cic. Fl. 2, 4: verecundiae, id. Rep. 4, 4 Mos.: imperii, Plin. 15, 18, 20, § 78.Charlton Lewis's shorter dictionary for students: the same scholarship in plain, modern definitions.
fundāmentum ī, n
2 fundo.—Plur, a foundation, ground-work, basis : agere fundamenta: prima urbi iacere, L.: Carthaginis altae locare, V.: urbis, V.: Albam a fundamentis proruere, utterly , L.—Fig., a basis, ground, support, substance, beginning : pietas fundamentum est virtutum: iustitiae fides.—Plur: consulatūs tui: senectus, quae fundamentis adulescentiae constituta est: iacere pacis fundamenta: cui causae fundamenta iaciantur: verecundiae.
Origins
Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥ Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥tom Proto-Italic *-mentom Latin -mentum Latin fundamentum From fundō + -mentum.
Descendants
- Catalanfonament
- Frenchfondementfrom Old French fondement
- Romanianfundamentfrom Old French fondement
- Englishfundamentfrom Old French fondement
- Englishfoundamentfrom Old French fondement
- Italianfondamento
- Englishfondamentofrom Italian fondamento
- Portuguesefundamentofrom Old Galician-Portuguese fondamento
- Spanishfundamento
- GermanFundamentfrom Old High German fundament
In English words that came into English from fundāmentum
- fundamentalfundāmentālis
- fundamentfundāmentum