What does "foundry" mean?
A facility that melts metals in special furnaces and pours the molten metal into molds to make products. Foundries are usually specified according to the type of metal dealt with: iron foundry, brass foundry, etc.
Foundry
/ˈfaʊn.dɹi/ noun
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A facility that melts metals in special furnaces and pours the molten metal into molds to make products. Foundries are usually specified according to the type of metal dealt with: iron foundry, brass foundry, etc.
- Grammar: foundry is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: metalworks, breeding ground, casting plant, forge.
- Useful contrasts: nonfactory facility, nonindustrial site, stagnant place.
- Usage evidence: This type foundry has not existed for almost fifteen years.
How to use "foundry"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "foundry" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "foundry" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "foundry" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "foundry" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "foundry" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "metalworks" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "foundry", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A facility that melts metals in special furnaces and pours the molten metal into molds to make products. Foundries are usually specified according to the type of metal dealt with: iron foundry, brass foundry, etc. countable, uncountable
"So after learning a great deal about iron founding and much more about pike fishing, one regretfully took leave of a shop full of kindly characters and proceeded to a worse lot of odours in the brass foundry. […] So after a short spell in the brass foundry the wisest course was to follow with a similar period in the steel foundry, where much important work was done, including the manufacture of centres for wheels."
- 2 factory where metal castings are produced wordnet
- 3 The act, process, or art of casting metals; founding. countable, uncountable
- 4 A plant that produces chips out of semiconductors in the microelectronics industry. countable, uncountable
"Chang gained trust by allaying fears that TSMC would steal designs, as pure-play foundries have no use of them; TSMC stealing from chip designers would be like a printing press stealing plots from novelists."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
nonfactory facilitynonindustrial sitestagnant placestifled environment
Example
"This type foundry has not existed for almost fifteen years."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "foundry"?
Common synonyms include: metalworks, breeding ground, casting plant, forge, foundries, furnace.
How do you use "foundry" in a sentence?
This type foundry has not existed for almost fifteen years.
How do you pronounce "foundry"?
Pronounced /ˈfaʊn.dɹi/.
Etymology
From French fonderie. By surface analysis, found (“to melt (metals)”) + -ry (“place; process”).