cornerstone means A stone forming the base at the corner of a building. It carries an Arena rating of 1643, earned across 3 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, cornerstone ranks #2,678 of 14,410 for Most Ponderous Words, #2,737 of 14,445 for Most Beautiful Words, #7,084 of 14,414 for Most Elegant Words, #7,100 of 14,440 for Most Satisfying to Say.
Why “cornerstone” is a great word
The indispensable foundation upon which something is built or depends. From Middle English *corner ston*, equivalent to 'corner' (from Anglo-Norman, from Vulgar Latin *cornarium*, from Latin *cornu* 'horn, projecting point') + 'stone' (from Old English *stān*), with the figurative sense partly derived from its use in Psalm 118:22 and the New Testament. Unlike a 'foundation,' which is the broad, literal groundwork, or a 'keystone,' the central lock of a completed arch, the cornerstone is the singular, inaugural principle. It is the first block laid with ceremony, the charter signed in a quiet room, the core belief from which all others radiate—the acknowledgement that every enduring thing begins with a single, deliberate act of alignment.
Etymology
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
- 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.”
Words closest in meaning
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