From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishfoundation stonefounˈdation ˌstone noun [countable] 1 TBa large stone that is placed at the base of a new building, usually by an important person as part of a ceremony2 BASICthe facts, ideas, principles etc that form the base from which something else develops Greek and Latin were once viewed as the foundation stones of a good education.
Examples from the Corpus
foundation stone• Mr Gladstone laid the foundation stone.• He laid the foundation stone of the new greenhouse and later gave 150 guineas for its repair.• Mr Knospe laid the foundation stone and drank his share of champagne at a party in his honor.• The creation of a world at peace is one of the foundation stones of Judaism and Christianity.• The foundation stone of the 519 feet structure was laid in 1891 and the complex opened at Whitsuntide 1894.• The foundation stone was laid on 27 July 1848 by the Duke of Cambridge. 