drinking fountain
Americannoun
-
drinking fountains
plural
noun
Usage
What is a drinking fountain? A drinking fountain is a device that ejects a fountainlike stream of water that can be drunk from without a cup. Drinking 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 drinking fountains, but they all generally work by ejecting a jet of water that can be drunk from directly. Drinking fountains are also commonly called water fountains, which 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 drinking fountain?
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of drinking fountain
First recorded in 1855–60
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.
I asked for water and the bartender pointed me toward a drinking fountain and some plastic cups.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 6, 2026
Here in Washington we know the name Cogswell because of the elaborate drinking fountain he forced upon the city in 1884.
From Washington Post ● Aug. 27, 2022
Please, Edmonds School District, do the right thing and install a drinking fountain outside at this otherwise awesome playground.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 26, 2022
I grimace and bend at a drinking fountain.
From New York Times ● Mar. 29, 2022
The school, which served 300 students, had four toilets, one drinking fountain, and no cafeteria.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
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