water fountain
Americannoun
Usage
What is a water fountain? A water fountain is a device that ejects a fountainlike stream of water that can be drunk from without a cup. Water fountains are often for public use—they provide access to drinking water in places like government buildings, schools, and parks. There are many different designs for water fountains, but they all generally work by ejecting a jet of water that can be drunk from directly. Water fountains are also commonly called drinking fountains. Less commonly, water fountain can sometimes be used to refer to a water cooler. The term water fountain should not be confused with the kind of fountain that’s mainly for decoration, such as in city plazas, though of course such fountains also use water (but not for drinking). Example: Why would I buy a bottle of water from the vending machine when I could just fill up my water bottle for free from the water fountain?
Compare meaning
How does water-fountain compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In Tel Aviv, the city’s landmark Fire and Water fountain in Dizengoff Square has been transformed into a makeshift memorial for the fallen and the wounded.
From Washington Times • Nov. 8, 2023
It’s funny, but the Water fountain Is cooled by a motor, And the librarian reads Books with her Glasses hanging From her neck.
From "Neighborhood Odes" by Gary Soto
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
