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Glite Dictionary
cornerstone of

cornerstone of

37 4.2
An important idea or thing that other things depend on
  • idiom
  • /ˈkɔrnərˌstoʊn əv/
translation icon : pilar de
  • Making these connections is the cornerstone of learning, and it is this principle that drives new literacy proponents.
  • become the cornerstone of
  • the cornerstone of policy
  • remain the cornerstone of

So vision is very much a cornerstone of biological intelligence.

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Examples

  • I operate on the premise that honesty is the cornerstone of any meaningful relationship.

    The Man Who Loved Women (1983)

  • The Code is the cornerstone of a civilized society, the very credo upon which this nation was built.

    The Kid Who Would Be King (2019)

  • Teaching is a complex art as well as an essential cornerstone of university life.

    Stanford

  • The right to life is the cornerstone of our government.

    Roe v. Wade (2021)

  • President: Education is the cornerstone of our communities and of our country!

    Fiction book (2000)

  • Reputation is the cornerstone of power.

    Robert Greene

  • This is the cornerstone of civilization.

    The Killer (2023)

  • Vocabulary acquisition is widely recognized as the cornerstone of language development.

    Academic text (2011)

  • Honesty is the cornerstone of any meaningful relationship.

  • The right to life is the cornerstone of our government.

Synonyms

core
vscornerstone of
468 3.2

The most important central part of something

refers more to an original foundational principle than to a central part
base
vscornerstone of
378 2.8

The main part or ingredient from which something is made

is more specifically the essential principle rather than a broad starting point
foundation
vscornerstone of
182 3.5

The basic ideas and facts that support a belief, plan, or system

focuses more on the single, primary element rather than general supporting facts
foundation of
vscornerstone of
97 3.5

A basic idea that people build other things on

is more focused on one core element rather than the whole basis
cornerstone
vscornerstone of
46 5.3

A very important idea or part that something depends on

is identical in meaning but often used with of to show relation
the pillar of
vscornerstone of
33 4.8

A main thing that supports and keeps something strong

is narrower, pointing to a single essential element rather than general support
backbone of
vscornerstone of
32 3.4

The main part that supports a system or group

is about the key foundational idea rather than practical supporting strength
building block
vscornerstone of
23 3.0

A basic part that forms the base of something larger

is a single, central principle rather than one of several basic parts
bedrock
vscornerstone of
18 4.2

The basic principles that support a system, idea, or group

is similar but highlights a single crucial principle rather than a stable base
underpinning
vscornerstone of
  • Formal
12 5.0

A basic support or principle that something depends on

is more about a single, central founding element than overall supports
fundament
vscornerstone of
1 9.4

A basic idea that something is built on

is more concrete and central rather than a general underlying assumption
footstone
vscornerstone of
  • Archaic
7.7

A basic idea or belief that other things depend on

is the straightforward term for the single essential principle without imagery

Antonyms

superfluous
22 7.0

More than what is needed or useful

nonessential
11 4.4

Not needed for something to work or be successful

How Essential

cornerstone of
37 4.2
key role
33 3.6
element
∞ 3.0
part
∞ 1.0
detail
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

cornerstone of singular
cornerstones of plural

Morphology

cornerstone + of

The meaning of 'cornerstone of' is directly derived from the noun 'cornerstone' (an indispensable/basic principle) combined with the relational preposition 'of', so it transparently denotes the essential basis or foundation of something. This noun + of construction is compositional and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words will readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

The noun cornerstone of comes from builders: the cornerstone was the first big stone put at a corner to set the building's position and help hold the walls. So today cornerstone of means 'the most important part' or 'the base' of something.