What does "bedrock" mean?

The solid rock found at some depth below the ground surface.

What is a synonym for "bedrock"?

Common synonyms include: aa, abyssal rock, basalt, base, basement, basic.

//ˈbɛd.ɹɒk// noun, verb

noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level

Noun

1
The solid rock found at some depth below the ground surface. countable, uncountable
"The denudation of the land was upon a grand scale. All superficial accumulations were swept away, and the bedrock was exposed."
2
principles from which other truths can be derived wordnet
3
A basis or foundation. countable, figuratively, uncountable
"If culture is the bedrock of a society, then language is the cornerstone of culture."
4
solid unweathered rock lying beneath surface deposits of soil wordnet
5
The bones. Internet, countable, uncountable

Verb

1
To establish on a solid foundation. figuratively, transitive
"Bedrocked in the formative race relations of the Heart of Dixie, the governor declined an invitation to the unveiling of artist Maya Lin's civil rights memorial in downtown Montgomery."

"Without bedrock, Manhattan's skyscrapers would be unstable."

From bed (“a layer on top of which something else rests.”) + rock.

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.