found

1 of 5

ˈfau̇nd

Synonyms of found next

past tense and past participle of find

found

2 of 5

adjective

: having all usual, standard, or reasonably expected equipment

the boat comes fully found, ready to go—

Holiday

: presented as or incorporated into an artistic work essentially as found

sculpture of fabric, wood, and other found materials—

Hilton Kramer

found

3 of 5

noun

: free food and lodging in addition to wages

they're paid $175 a month and found—

New Yorker

found

4 of 5

verb (1)

founded; founding; founds

transitive verb

: to take the first steps in building

: to set or ground on something solid : base

: to establish (something) often with provision for future maintenance

found an institution

found

5 of 5

verb

founded; founding; founds

transitive verb

: to melt (a material, such as metal) and pour into a mold

Examples of found in a Sentence

Verb (1) John Harvard did not actually found the university that now bears his name

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Many critics said the fund was too small and found fault with the organization’s call for a cease-fire in March, which came five months after the start of the war. —

Kaitlyn Huamani, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2024 Using an almost square aspect ratio, DP Pierce Derks makes the northern Ontario wilderness locations both lovely and sinister, with enough variety to the visual tactics that the film never gets stuck in found footage horror’s first-person-camera stylistic rut. —

Dennis Harvey, Variety, 23 Jan. 2024 See all Example Sentences for found

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'found.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

from past participle of find entry 1

Noun

from past participle of find entry 1

Verb (1)

Middle English founden, borrowed from Anglo-French fonder, funder, going back to Latin fundāre, derivative of fundus "bottom, base, foundation" — more at bottom entry 1

Verb

borrowed from Middle French fondre "to melt, cast," going back to Old French, going back to Latin fundere "to pour, shed, cast, send forth, disperse," going back to Indo-European *ǵ^hu-n-d-, present tense derivative of *ǵ^heu̯d- "pour" (also Germanic, in Old English gēotan "to pour, shed," Old High German giozan, Old Norse gjóta "to drop, throw, give birth [of animals]," Gothic giutan "to pour"), extended form of Indo-European *ǵ^heu̯- "pour," whence Greek chéō, cheîn "to pour, shed," Tocharian B kewu "I will pour," Sanskrit juhoti "(s/he) pours, sacrifices"

First Known Use

Adjective

1758, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1830, in the meaning defined above

Verb (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1562, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of found was in the 13th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Found.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/found. Accessed 29 May. 2024.

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Kids Definition

found

1 of 3

ˈfau̇nd

past and past participle of find

found

2 of 3 verb

: establish sense 3a

found a town

founded the company in 1847

found

3 of 3 verb

: to melt (metal) and pour into a mold

Etymology

Verb

Middle English founden "found, establish," from early French funder (same meaning), from Latin fundare (same meaning), from fundus "bottom, base" — related to fund, fundamental

Verb

from early French fondre "to pour, melt," from Latin fundere (same meaning) — related to font entry 2, founder entry 2

Legal Definition

found

1 of 2

past and past participle of find

found

2 of 2 transitive verb

: to establish (as an institution) often with provision for future maintenance

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found

adjective

noun

verb (1)

verb

Synonyms

Examples of found in a Sentence

Word History

Dictionary Entries Near found

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

Legal Definition