B2noun5K

Founder

UK /["/ˈfaʊndə(r)/"]/US /["/ˈfaʊndər/"]/

Definition

a person who starts an organization, institution, etc. or causes something to be built

In simple words: A person who creates or starts something, like a business or organization.

Examples

  • the founder and president of the company
  • a wife and husband who are joint founders of the company

Usage notes

Use 'founder' when talking about someone who started a company or initiative. It's appropriate in both professional and casual contexts, but less common in informal conversations.

Grammar pattern

founder + of + organization

Memory hint

Think of 'found' as in discovering something new — a founder discovers new ideas.

Collocations

  • original
  • company
  • member

Synonyms

  • creator
  • establisher
  • originator
  • initiator
  • founding member

Antonyms

  • follower
  • successor

Common mistakes

  • Confused with 'co-founder' which refers to someone who starts something with another person.
  • Using 'founder' as a verb, when it should only be a noun.