cornerstone
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cornerstone
- /ˈkɔː.nə.stəʊn/ UK
- /ˈkɔɹ.nɚ.stoʊn/ US
Where it comes from
From Middle English corner ston; equivalent to corner + stone. The figurative sense is in part after Psalm 118:22, and is also quoted several times in the New Testament.
noun cornerstones · corner stone
- A stone forming the base at the corner of a building. Clutch it like a cornerstone Otherwise it all comes down Justify denials and Grip 'em to the lonesome end
- Such a stone used ceremonially, often inscribed with the architect's and owner's names, dates and other details. The cornerstone on the Flatiron Building is set on the Fifth Avenue facade.
- That which is prominent, fundamental, noteworthy, or central. Exceptional service is the cornerstone of the hospitality industry.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: base, groundwork, basis, foundation, fundament, keystone, quoin, vault, arch, basement, pillar, underpinning, landmark, plank, canopy, bridgehead
Translations
Every language
noun base stone
| Español | piedra angular |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | 礎 ishizue |
| Français | pierre angulaire, pierre d'angle |
| Deutsch | Eckstein |
| Italiano | pietra angolare, pietra d'angolo |
| Ελληνικά | ακρογωνιαίος λίθος akrogoniaíos líthos |
| Русский | краеуго́льный ка́мень krajeugólʹnyj kámenʹ |
noun ceremonial stone
| Español | piedra angular, primera piedra |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | 礎石 soseki |
| 中文 | 奠基石, 基石 jīshí |
| Português | primeira pedra, pedra angular |
| Français | pierre angulaire, première pierre |
| Deutsch | Grundstein |
| Italiano | pietra angolare |
| Română | piatră de temelie |
| Русский | краеуго́льный ка́мень krajeugólʹnyj kámenʹ |
| Tiếng Việt | viên đá đầu tiên |
| العربية | حجر أساس |
| עברית | אבן פינה |
noun that which is prominent, fundamental, noteworthy, or central
| Español | fundamento |
|---|---|
| 中文 | 基礎 /基础 jīchǔ |
| Português | fundamento, princípio, base |
| Français | pierre angulaire, pierre d'angle |
| Deutsch | Eckpfeiler, Eckstein |
| Italiano | fondamenta |
| Ελληνικά | ακρογωνιαίος λίθος akrogoniaíos líthos |
| Русский | краеуго́льный ка́мень krajeugólʹnyj kámenʹ |
Talk about this word "cornerstone." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/cornerstone. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026. cornerstone. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/cornerstone "cornerstone." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 5, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/cornerstone.Cite this
@misc{cornerstone_2026,
title = {cornerstone},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/cornerstone},
urldate = {2026-11-05}
}
