fountain

American  

[foun-tn] / ˈfaʊn tn /

noun

• fountains
  plural

1. a spring or source of water; the source or head of a stream.

2. the source or origin of anything.

   Synonyms:

   wellspring, genesis, cradle, birthplace

3. a jet or stream of water (or other liquid) made by mechanical means to spout or rise from an opening or structure, as to afford water for use, to cool the air, or to serve for ornament.

4. a structure for discharging such a jet or a number of jets, often an elaborate or artistic work with basins, sculptures, etc.

5. drinking fountain.

6. soda fountain.

7. a reservoir for a liquid to be supplied gradually or continuously, as in a fountain pen.

8. Heraldry. a roundel barry-wavy, argent and azure.

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fountain British  

/ ˈfaʊntɪn /

noun

1. a jet or spray of water or some other liquid

2. a structure from which such a jet or a number of such jets spurt, often incorporating figures, basins, etc

3. a natural spring of water, esp the source of a stream

4. a stream, jet, or cascade of sparks, lava, etc

5. a principal source or origin

6. a reservoir or supply chamber, as for oil in a lamp

7. short for drinking fountain soda fountain

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• fountain-like
  adjective
• fountained
  adjective
• fountainless
  adjective
• fountainlike
  adjective
• unfountained
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• fountains
  plural

Etymology

Origin of fountain

1375–1425; late Middle English fontayne < Old French fontaine < Late Latin fontāna, noun use of feminine of Latin fontānus of a spring, equivalent to font- (stem of fons ) spring + -ānus -an

Explanation

A fountain is a decorative structure that shoots streams of water into the air. You might see a big fountain in front of a museum, or install a small one in your back yard. You can use the noun fountain any time you talk about a shooting flow of water, whether it's a deliberate, artificial piece of architecture or an accidental fountain caused by the faucet in your kitchen sink breaking suddenly, sending a fountain of water into the air. The earliest, fifteenth century meaning of fountain was "spring of water that collects in a pool," from the Latin root word fons, "spring of water."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fountain fountains

Outside Estella, where the path passed a fountain that dispensed wine.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026

And, notably, they eat Cane’s, whether it’s buying entire orders of just Texas toast or dunking their entire hand into a fountain cup of Cane’s Sauce and licking it off their fingers.

From Slate ● Aug. 24, 2026

The ceramic work in other bathrooms is calmer, but the backyard amps the look with the pool’s fountain and spa.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026

The celebrations turned deadly around midnight in the town of Ciudad Rodrigo in the west, after a fountain crumbled under the weight of supporters who had climbed onto it.

From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026

They were passing through a particularly fine square, with a fountain in the form of a mermaid in the center, when there was a noise overhead, of beating wings, and the sky called Nighthand’s name.

From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell

Designed to blend into the historic Baroque park, they are notable for their curved ceramic facades, daylight from skylights, accessibility features, drinking fountains -- and free use.

From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026

Together, those factors can strongly influence whether an eruption produces dramatic lava fountains or a slower release of lava.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 1, 2026

Expanding on the "grim start" to travelling families, it writes, "drinking fountains were out of action", "there were queues for toilets, which could not be flushed" and "crowds were forced to sit on the floor".

From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026

They spent more than $3 million transforming the fixer-upper into a home with custom details, moody interiors and four fountains that embody the charm of historic Charleston.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 11, 2026

Four fountains gurgled in the meadow, each shooting water from the pipes of stone satyrs.

From "The Battle of the Labyrinth" by Rick Riordan

Related Words

• geyser
• reservoir
• stream