bedrock

Definition

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

Etymology

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

Example Sentences

• "The denudation of the land was upon a grand scale. All superficial accumulations were swept away, and the bedrock was exposed."
• "Listen! It's big. Only eight to twenty feet to bedrock. There won't be a claim that don't run to half a million."
• "If culture is the bedrock of a society, then language is the cornerstone of culture."