fountain

fountain — noun

1. A structure built in a public area, garden, or pool that pushes water upward thr

1.nounA2
Definition

A structure built in a public area, garden, or pool that pushes water upward through pipes, creating a spray or stream that people find pleasant to look at.

Example

The children threw coins into the fountain and made wishes.

Hassan sat by a marble fountain and watched the water sparkle in the sun.

common collocations: marble fountain / town square fountain

Common collocations
  • stone fountain
  • marble fountain
  • drinking fountain
  • water fountain
  • fountain in the park
  • fountain in the square
  • coin in a fountain
  • fountain spray
  • fountain pool
Synonyms
  • water feature

    a broader term that includes fountains, ponds, and waterfalls in gardens

  • spout

    focuses on the pipe or opening the water comes out of, not the whole structure

Usage Note

Often used in compounds: 'drinking fountain' (a public tap for drinking water) and 'water fountain' (a decorative or drinking fixture). The decorative type is commonly found in parks, plazas, and gardens.

Common Mistakes

We drank cool water from a fountain in the middle of the forest.
We drank cool water from a natural spring in the middle of the forest.
A fountain is man-made; a spring is a natural flow of groundwater.
The dog jumped into the river fountain.
The dog jumped into the river.
'Fountain' is not a general word for any flowing water.

2. A person, thing, or place that provides a large and steady amount of something v

2.nounB2
Definition

A person, thing, or place that provides a large and steady amount of something valuable, such as knowledge, ideas, inspiration, or comfort.

Example

Grandma Rosa was a fountain of stories about growing up in the countryside.

pattern: a fountain of [abstract noun]

Museums are fountains of inspiration for artists who visit them regularly.

Common collocations
  • fountain of knowledge
  • fountain of wisdom
  • fountain of ideas
  • fountain of inspiration
  • fountain of information
  • fountain of stories
Synonyms
  • wellspring

    more literary and dramatic; suggests a deep, inexhaustible supply

  • fount

    formal or literary; often used interchangeably with 'fountain' in this abstract sense

  • source

    the most neutral and common word; less vivid than 'fountain'

Grammar Patterns

a fountain of + [abstract noun]

Usage Note

Almost always followed by 'of' and an abstract noun (knowledge, ideas, wisdom, inspiration, stories). The concrete sense (fountain/1) and this abstract sense are visually and logically connected: a fountain sends out a continuous stream — so does a 'fountain of knowledge.'

Common Mistakes

The well is a fountain of clean water.
The well provides clean water.
For actual water, use 'source' or 'supply'; 'fountain of' sounds abstract and slightly literary.

3. A place where water rises to the surface of the earth naturally, without any pum

3.nounB1
Definition

A place where water rises to the surface of the earth naturally, without any pump or machinery.

Example

Apinya filled her bottle at the natural fountain that bubbled up from between the rocks.

collocation: natural fountain

The ancient town was built around a hot fountain that supplied warm water all year.

Common collocations
  • natural fountain
  • hot fountain
  • mountain fountain
  • fountain of fresh water
  • fountain of cold water
Synonyms
  • spring

    the standard modern word for natural groundwater rising to the surface

  • wellspring

    literary; a spring that is the source of a stream

Usage Note

This sense is older — historically 'fountain' referred to any natural spring before it was used for decorative structures. In modern English, it is less common than senses 1 or 2, and 'spring' is the more usual word for a natural water source. 'Natural fountain' is sometimes used to clarify that a spring (not a man-made structure) is meant.

Common Mistakes

We swam in the fountain at the beach.
We swam in the sea / the lake.
A fountain is a specific small water feature, not a body of water for swimming.
Idioms

fountain of youth

idiom

A mythical spring whose water is said to keep people young forever; anything that makes someone feel or look younger.

Ponce de Leon set out to find the fountain of youth, but all he found was Florida.

Regular exercise is not a fountain of youth, but it certainly helps you feel younger.

fountain of knowledge

idiom

A person who knows a great deal about a subject and generously shares what they know.

Professor Okonkwo is a fountain of knowledge on ancient African civilizations.

My grandmother was a fountain of knowledge when it came to traditional herbal medicine.

fountain — verb

Word family

  • fount
    nounC1
  • fountainhead
    nounC2
  • font
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

All four words describe the origin of a supply, but they differ in register and imagery. 'Source' is the most neutral and widely used — it fits any context from concrete ('the source of the river') to abstract ('the source of the problem'). 'Fountain' (in this sense) adds a clear image of continuous, abundant flow: a fountain of knowledge is not just a source but a generous, seemingly endless one. 'Fount' is a formal or literary variant of 'fountain' and is almost always followed by 'of' plus an abstract noun ('a fount of wisdom'). 'Wellspring' is the most poetic option, suggesting a deep, pure, and inexhaustible inner origin. In everyday writing, choose 'source' for factual statements; pick 'fountain' or 'wellspring' when you want a vivid, appreciative tone. For example: 'Google is a source of information' (neutral fact) vs. 'My grandfather was a fountain of stories' (warm, personal).

sourcefountwellspring

Common collocations

Nouns

  • water
  • knowledge
  • wisdom
  • inspiration
  • information

Adverbs

  • constantly
  • endlessly
  • naturally

Phrases

  • fountain of youth
  • fountain of knowledge
  • drinking fountain
  • water fountain
  • fountain of ideas

Prepositions

  • of
  • in
  • from

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

The word 'fountain' comes from the Latin 'fons' (genitive 'fontis'), meaning 'spring of water' or 'source.' This gave rise to the Late Latin 'fontana' ('fountain, spring'), which passed into Old French as 'fontaine.' English borrowed it in the 13th century, originally referring to a natural spring. The sense of a man-made decorative water feature developed in the 16th century. The abstract meaning 'rich source or supply' followed in the 17th century, keeping the core idea of something that flows continuously from a point of origin.