Meaning & use
bedrock
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Meanings
noununcountabletechnical
The solid rock that lies under soil, sand, or other loose material on the Earth's surface.
Grammar: Uncountable; used without 'a' or 'an' in this geological sense.
Patterns
- bedrock beneath something
- bedrock of an area
The drill finally reached bedrock after several hours.
In some places, bedrock is exposed at the surface.
The soil is thin here because bedrock lies just below.
nounsingularfigurative
The basic principles or values that support something and make it strong.
Grammar: Often followed by 'of': the bedrock of our society.
Patterns
- bedrock of something
- the bedrock of society
Trust is the bedrock of any good relationship.
These traditions are the bedrock of the community.
Honesty is the bedrock of our business.
Common combinations
- bedrock of society
- Education is considered the bedrock of society.
- solid bedrock
- The house was built on solid bedrock.
- bedrock principle
- Freedom of speech is a bedrock principle in many countries.
- bedrock value
- Fairness is a bedrock value in their family.
Synonyms and how they differ
- foundation
- Foundation is more general and can refer to the base of a building or an idea; bedrock specifically refers to solid rock.
- cornerstone
- Cornerstone is figurative and means an essential part, while bedrock can be literal or figurative.
Word family
- rock noun
- The hard material that bedrock is made of.
Commonly confused: bedrock or bedrock?
bedrock vs bedrock
Sometimes confused with 'bedrock' as a proper noun (the town in The Flintstones), but the common noun is the geological or figurative sense.
Practice
In geology, ___ is the solid rock beneath the soil.
Choose one answer.
'Bedrock' is uncountable in this sense, so it is used without an article or plural. 'Bedrocks' is not standard, and 'a bedrock' is incorrect because the noun is uncountable here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “bedrock”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.