groundwork
/ˈɡɹaʊndˌwɜːɹk/ noun
Forms groundworks ground-work
- noun The foundation; the basic or fundamental parts that support or allow for the rest. “The discovery of the laws of electricity laid the groundwork for a century of innovation.”
Synonyms
basis base foundation fundament cornerstone foot substructure understructure
Etymology
From ground + work.
Webster’s 1913
- noun That which forms the foundation or support of anything; the basis; the essential or fundamental part; first principle. Dryden.
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “groundwork”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details