fountain pen

American  

noun

1. a pen with a refillable reservoir that provides a continuous supply of usually fluid ink to its point.

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fountain pen British  

noun

1. a pen the nib of which is supplied with ink from a cartridge or a reservoir in its barrel

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Etymology

Origin of fountain pen

First recorded in 1700–10

Example Sentences

The Montblanc Meisterstück fountain pen has been a favorite of leaders including King Charles and John F. Kennedy.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026

When Trump admired the handcrafted wooden fountain pen Lee used to sign the White House guest book, saying “it’s a nice pen, you want to take it with you?”

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 29, 2025

The menu was signed in fountain pen by six influential Chinese statesmen, including Mao and Premier Zhou Enlai.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 7, 2023

This time the plan gets the fountain pen and cartridge paper treatment - a treaty, an agreement between two countries recognised internationally.

From BBC • Dec. 4, 2023

He sits at his father’s desk, scrawling away importantly on the office stationery with a fat black fountain pen.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee