DictionaryAI

fund

FUND/ˈfʌnd/

Verbfunds, funding, funded

Noun pluralfunds

7 meanings of fund

Practice

  1. 1
    provide moneyverbtransitive
    To provide the money needed to pay for something.

    The government agreed to fund the research for another five years.

    Donations from alumni fund most of the university's scholarships.

    UsageOften passive: funded by the government. Not the same as found, which means to start or set something up.

    Similarfinance, subsidize, sponsor, underwrite, bankroll

    Oppositedefund

  2. 2
    money set asidenouncountable
    A sum of money set apart for one particular purpose, such as a relief fund or a fund for repairing a roof.

    The charity set up a relief fund for victims of the earthquake.

    Their emergency fund covered three months of living expenses.

    UsageUsually named by its purpose: a relief fund, a fund for students; you set up or start a fund.

    Similarreserve, kitty, pot

  3. 3
    nounplural
    Money on hand for a person, an organization or a government to spend; the financial means at someone's disposal.

    The city lacks the funds to repair every damaged road this year.

    Public funds were used to rebuild the bridge after the flood.

    UsageTakes a verb like are: the funds are low. Common: short of funds, raise funds, public funds.

    Similarmoney, resources, finances

  4. 4
    investment groupnouncountable
    A pool of money from many investors that is invested on their behalf, or the organization that manages it, such as a mutual fund or pension fund.

    The fund spreads investors' money across hundreds of companies to reduce risk.

    Many retirement plans rely on a fund that tracks the broader market.

    Similarpool

Less common meanings

  1. 5
    large storenouncountable
    A large store or supply of something that can be drawn upon as needed.

    He drew on a seemingly endless fund of energy during the campaign.

    Her grandmother possessed a rich fund of folk wisdom.

    UsageUsually a fund of something: a fund of stories, draw on a fund of knowledge.

    Similarstore, reservoir, supply, stock, wealth

    Note

    A figurative store modeled on the money sense: what is held in reserve is knowledge, stories, energy or wisdom rather than cash. It almost always takes of, as in a fund of knowledge or Macaulay's "an inexhaustible fund of stories" in "Oliver Goldsmith" (1856).

  2. 6
    pay intoverbtransitive
    To pay money into a fund or account so that it is held or invested there, as when an employer funds a pension plan.

    Employers fund the retirement plan by depositing a percentage of each salary.

    She funds her savings account automatically every payday.

  3. 7
    convert debtverbtransitive
    To convert a debt into long-term securities that carry a fixed rate of interest.

    Parliament voted to fund the national debt by issuing long-term bonds.

    The treasury funded the floating debt to stabilize public finances.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of fund apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

Borrowed from Latin "fundus." It is a doublet of "fond" and "fundus," and traces back to the Proto-Indo-European root *bʰudʰmḗn.

Checked 5 Nov 2026 · 3 facts