founding father

noun

1
: an originator of an institution or movement : founder
2
often capitalized both Fs : a leading figure in the founding of the U.S.
specifically : a member of the American Constitutional Convention of 1787

Examples of founding father in a Sentence

a tribute to Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and the other Founding Fathers Theodor Herzl is often credited as the founding father of modern Zionism.
Recent Examples on the Web The start: One of America’s founding fathers, Benjamin Franklin, is often credited with the daylight saving time idea. Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 9 Feb. 2024 Both supported Kim Il Sung, the founding father of North Korea and the grandfather of Kim Jong Un, in his bid to attack South Korea the same year. Oriana Skylar Mastro, Foreign Affairs, 19 Feb. 2024 Eddie Cheeba, a New York-area DJ who is regarded as a founding father of hip-hop, has died. Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2024 With the bust, Douglass takes his place as a founding father in the chamber and offers some balance in a Statehouse which honors people who are predominantly white, leaving out the stories of countless people of color, Spilka said. Steve Leblanc, Fortune, 15 Feb. 2024 If Broadway can turn a semi-overlooked founding father like Alexander Hamilton into a household name and cultural hero, why should the guy whose invention helped jump-start mass literacy throw away his shot? Jennifer Schuessler, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2024 American history tends to be told from a white European lens focused on the founding fathers—businessmen like Andrew Carnegie and inventors like Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. Julie Kratz, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 Our founding fathers had judges elected with the right to trial by jury remaining inviolate. Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Feb. 2024 But his vision is a far cry from the ideas of the modern country’s founding fathers, analysts say. Rhea Mogul, CNN, 15 Feb. 2024

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

Word History

First Known Use

1892, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of founding father was in 1892

Dictionary Entries Near founding father

Cite this Entry

“Founding father.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/founding%20father. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

founding father

noun
found·​ing father
ˈfau̇n-diŋ-
1
: one that starts or helps to start an institution or a movement
2
often capitalized : a leading figure in the founding of the U.S.

Legal Definition

founding father

noun
found·​ing fa·​ther
often capitalized both Fs
: a leading figure in the founding of the U.S.
specifically : a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1787
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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