a stone uniting two masonry walls at an intersection.
a stone representing the nominal starting place in the construction of a monumental building, usually carved with the date and laid with appropriate ceremonies.
something that is essential, indispensable, or basic: The cornerstone of democratic government is a free press.
the chief foundation on which something is constructed or developed: The cornerstone of his argument was that all people are created equal.
Origin of cornerstone
Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; see origin at corner, stone
The bar has been a cornerstone of American culture from the very beginning.
Bar Rescue: Pandemic Edition|jakemeth|September 15, 2020|Fortune
A cornerstone of American elections has been the peaceful transition of power, but as research from the Transition Integrity Project and others underscores, there are multiple ways to contest an election.
What If Trump Loses And Won’t Leave?|Geoffrey Skelley (geoffrey.skelley@abc.com)|September 14, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
Many of the cornerstones of the TV advertising calendar have been canceled or disrupted, and there’s nothing to fill the gap.
Deep Dive: How the Summer of 2020 forced brand marketing to change for the better|jim cooper|September 14, 2020|Digiday
GM is already building a nearly 3-million-square-foot factory that will mass produce Ultium battery cells and packs, the cornerstone of the company’s strategy to bring those electric vehicles to market in the next three years.
GM shifts Corvette engineering team to its electric and autonomous vehicle programs|Kirsten Korosec|August 28, 2020|TechCrunch
Cook has turned the app store into the cornerstone of a services division that he set out to expand four years ago.
Apple CEO Tim Cook is fulfilling another Steve Jobs vision|Rachel Schallom|August 24, 2020|Fortune
Alexander Stephens, vice president of the Confederacy, summed up the Southern attitude in his 1861 Cornerstone Speech.
Steve Scalise Shows There’s a Fine Line Between Confederate & Southern|Lloyd Green|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The cornerstone of our democracy is that justice is to be colorblind in its administration.
As Michael Brown Grand Jury Winds Down, Is Ferguson on the Brink of War?|Ron Christie|November 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Giants are the cornerstone of the myths, legends, and traditions of almost every culture on Earth.
Hunting for a Real-Life Hagrid|Nina Strochlic|November 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“Cornerstone Cellars barrels are lost within a collapsed barrel maze,” she shared.
Cleaning Up From Napa's Winepocalypse|Jordan Salcito|August 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
For the last several decades, the AHA has promoted a low-fat high-carbohydrate diet as a cornerstone of heart health.
The Heart Association’s Junk Science Diet|Dr. Barbara H. Roberts|May 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The cornerstone laying three years before was attended by the British Ambassador.
The Romantic Story of the Mayflower Pilgrims|Albert Christopher Addison
When Pythagoras left Egypt he took with him this cornerstone as a souvenir.
Little Journeys To The Homes Of Great Teachers|Elbert Hubbard
Heine's friend, Zunz, laid the cornerstone of Jewish science in the second decade of the nineteenth century.
Jewish History|S. M. Dubnow
Yet a navy had to be maintained: it was the cornerstone of the Empire.
Jefferson and his Colleagues|Allen Johnson
The maxim that the end justifies the means was the cornerstone of Egyptian theology.
Little Journeys To The Homes Of Great Teachers|Elbert Hubbard
British Dictionary definitions for cornerstone
cornerstone
/ (ˈkɔːnəˌstəʊn) /
noun
a stone at the corner of a wall, uniting two intersecting walls; quoin
a stone placed at the corner of a building during a ceremony to mark the start of construction
a person or thing of prime importance; basisthe cornerstone of the whole argument