What does cornerstone mean?
Word: Cornerstone
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Cornerstone means the most important part of something, which everything else depends on. It is also a large stone built into the base of a wall.
Word origin: Formed in English in the Middle Ages, first for a stone in a building and later for any central idea.
How do you spell cornerstone?
Syllables: cor - ner - stone
Tricky part: The e in the second syllable is barely heard, so cornorstone and cornarstone are easy slips.
Watch out for: cornorstone, cornarstone
Memory tip: A builder lays this early on, so give it the builder's er in the second syllable.
Cornerstone in a sentence
Example 1: Regular reading is the cornerstone of our school's language programme.
Example 2: Fair play is the cornerstone of the inter-house sports meet.
Example 3: The mayor laid the cornerstone of the new town library on Monday morning.
Fun Fact
Many public buildings have a cornerstone carved with the year of construction, and some hold a small box of newspapers and coins as a time capsule.
Practise the CREST Way
Jumble Tumble
What is the meaning of the word that can be formed from the given letters?
toreesrnonc
a) a small detail that can safely be left out
b) a final touch added once a task is over
c) a first rough sketch of a design
d) a basic element that holds up a whole plan or idea
Show answer
d) a basic element that holds up a whole plan or idea. The letters make cornerstone, the part that all the rest stands on.
Word Puzzle
Match each word with a word of similar meaning:
1. cornerstone 2. hindrance 3. outset a. obstacle b. beginning c. foundation
a) 1-b, 2-c, 3-a
b) 1-a, 2-b, 3-c
c) 1-c, 2-a, 3-b
d) 1-a, 2-c, 3-b
Show answer
c) 1-c, 2-a, 3-b. A foundation supports what stands on it, a hindrance gets in your way and the outset is the start.
Sound Check
In which word is 'one' pronounced differently?
a) cornerstone
b) backbone
c) postpone
d) someone
Show answer
d) someone. Someone ends with the sound of the word won; the other three end like the word own.
Spell Spies
Choose the misspelt word/s in the given sentence:
In her farewell speech, the principal said that respect and kindness had always been the cornerstonne of life at our school, and the whole auditorium rose to applaud her.
a) farewell and auditorium
b) only cornerstonne
c) cornerstonne and auditorium
d) only auditorium
Show answer
b) only cornerstonne. A single n is all the word needs; farewell and auditorium have no slip.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. If trust is the cornerstone of a friendship, then trust is ___.
a) something the friendship can lose
b) a reward for a long friendship
c) a small part of the friendship
d) what the friendship rests on
Show answer
d) what the friendship rests on
2. Where in a building would you expect to find a cornerstone?
a) where the roof tiles overlap
b) where two walls meet
c) where the stairs turn
d) where the front door opens
Show answer
b) where two walls meet
