14世紀末，“創立行動”，來自古法語 fondacion “基礎”（14世紀）或直接來自拉丁語 fundationem（主格 fundatio）“創立”，動作名詞，來自拉丁語 fundare “放置底部或基礎”（參見 found（v.1））。古英語中，這個拉丁詞被 staþol 解釋。
“建立一個有捐贈資金支持的機構”的專業意義始於14世紀末； “建立的東西”（學院、醫院等）的意義始於16世紀初； “用於慈善或慈善目的的捐贈資金”的意義始於15世紀初。
“結構的堅實基礎”的意義始於15世紀初。化妝品中“塗在臉上以改變或規範膚色的有色霜”始於1910年，可能是 foundation makeup 的縮寫。
There before me on the make up table lay several sticks of grease paint of different colours. Like everything else in this world, an actor's make up for any part whatsoever, must have a foundation, or base, and this Mr. Maude began to spread over his face, using a camel's hair brush. Before doing this, however, he had rubbed cold cream all over his face, forehead, and neck, to prevent the skin from becoming irritated, and in order to give a smooth foundation for the grease paint. The base consisted of what is known as flesh-colour, which looks like a combination of yellow and dull old-rose. The actor put on the make up foundation of flesh-coloured paint all over his face. [Wendell Phillips Dodge, "Cyril Maude Makes Up As Grumpy," The Strand Magazine, 1914.]
在化妝臺上，我看到了幾根不同顏色的油彩棒。就像這個世界上的一切一樣，演員的任何角色的化妝都必須有一個基礎，或底部，這位 Maude 先生開始在他的臉上塗抹，使用一把駱駝毛刷。然而，在這之前，他已經在臉、額頭和脖子上塗了冷霜，以防止皮膚變得刺激，併爲油彩提供平滑的基礎。基礎由所謂的肉色組成，看起來像是黃色和暗玫瑰色的組合。演員在臉上塗上肉色油彩的化妝基礎。[Wendell Phillips Dodge，“Cyril Maude Makes Up As Grumpy”，The Strand Magazine，1914年。]
