Ma'anar ƙamus na "mahaifin kafa" shine: mutumin da ke da alhakin kafa sabuwar al'umma, kungiya, ko ci gaba. Ana amfani da kalmar sau da yawa don komawa ga manyan mutane waɗanda suka taka muhimmiyar rawa wajen ƙirƙirar ƙasar Amurka, irin su George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, da James Madison. Duk da haka, ana iya amfani da shi sosai don yin nuni ga daidaikun mutane waɗanda suka taka muhimmiyar rawa wajen kafa wasu ƙasashe, ƙungiyoyi, ko cibiyoyi.