founder
Definitions
A person who establishes an organization, institution, or movement
创始人，创办者
(of a ship) to fill with water and sink
（船）进水沉没
(of a plan or undertaking) to fail completely
（计划、事业）彻底失败，垮掉
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedAs a noun, founder = found (establish) + -er (the one who does it): the person who founds a company. The verb founder ('sink, collapse') comes from the same fundus 'bottom' idea by a different route — a ship that founders goes to the bottom; a plan that founders sinks.
Root fund still carries 32 more wordsWhy It Means This
The noun and the verb pull the same root in opposite emotional directions. A founder (noun) builds something up from the ground; to founder (verb) is to go down to the bottom and fail. Same 'bottom' image — one sets a base, the other hits the seabed.
Common Collocations
- 1.company founder公司创始人
- 2.founder member创始成员
- 3.ship founder船舶沉没
- 4.[confidence/resolve] founder信心/决心动摇
Example Sentences
- 1.
She is the founder and CEO of the startup.
- 2.
The ship foundered in heavy seas off the coast.
- 3.
The peace talks foundered after just two days.
Easily Confused
founder vs flounder — easy to mix up. founder (verb) means to sink or fail outright; flounder means to struggle clumsily without sinking (a swimmer flounders; a fish, the flounder, flaps about). A foundering company has gone under; a floundering company is thrashing to stay afloat.