What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Founder vs Cofounder - What's the difference?

founder | cofounder |

As nouns the difference between founder and cofounder

is that founder is one who founds, establishes, and erects; one who lays a foundation; an author; one from whom something originates; one who endows or founder can be the iron worker in charge of the blast furnace and the smelting operation while cofounder is one who founds something, such as an organization, together with someone else.

As a verb founder

is of a ship, to fill with water and sink.

founder

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) .

Noun

(en noun)
  • One who founds, establishes, and erects; one who lays a foundation; an author; one from whom something originates; one who endows.
  • (genetics) Someone for whose parents one has no data.
  • Antonyms
    * (one who founds) ruiner

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The iron worker in charge of the blast furnace and the smelting operation.
  • * 1957 , H.R. Schubert, History of the British Iron and Steel Industry , p. 161.
  • The term 'founder' was applied in the British iron industry long afterwards to the ironworker in charge of the blast furnace and the smelting operation.
  • One who casts metals in various forms; a caster.
  • a founder of cannon, bells, hardware, or printing types

    Etymology 3

    From (etyl)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • Of a ship, to fill with water and sink.
  • * 1719 ,
  • We were not much more than a quarter of an hour out of our ship but we saw her sink, and then I understood for the first time what was meant by a ship foundering in the sea.
  • To fall; to stumble and go lame, as a horse.
  • To disable or lame (a horse) by causing internal inflammation and soreness in the feet or limbs.
  • To fail; to miscarry.
  • * Shakespeare
  • All his tricks founder .

    Usage notes

    Frequently confused with flounder. Both may be applied to the same situation, the difference is the severity of the action: floundering'' (struggling to maintain position) comes first, followed by ''foundering (losing it by falling, sinking or failing).

    Anagrams

    * ----

    cofounder

    English

    Alternative forms

    *co-founder

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • One who founds something, such as an organization, together with someone else
  • The two cofounders both attended the ceremony.