fountainhead

F4O1U1N1T1A1I1N1H4E1A1D2

noun

A spring that is the source of a river.

Similar
wellwellspringheadspringhead
UncommonScrabble 19
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Meanings

nounfountainhead (plural fountainheads)

plural fountainheads

  1. literallyA spring that is the source of a river.
  2. figurativelyAn abundant source of knowledge, etc.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounan abundant source

Similar
wellwellspring
Broader
source

nounthe source of water from which a stream arises

Similar
headspringhead
Broader
beginningoriginroot
Also see
headheadspringspringheadwellwellspring

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

From fountain + head.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 源頭 /源头, 水源
  • 源頭 /源头 (yuántóu)a spring that is the source of a river
  • 水源 (shuǐyuán)a spring that is the source of a river
  • 本源 (běnyuán)an abundant source of knowledge, etc.
Finnish alkulähde, lähde
  • alkulähdea spring that is the source of a river
  • lähdean abundant source of knowledge, etc.
German Quelle, Ursprung
  • Quellea spring that is the source of a river
  • Ursprungan abundant source of knowledge, etc.
  • Quellean abundant source of knowledge, etc.
Greek βρυσομάνα
  • βρυσομάνα (vrysomána)a spring that is the source of a river
Hungarian kútfő, kútfő
  • kútfőa spring that is the source of a river
  • kútfőan abundant source of knowledge, etc.
  • kútforrásan abundant source of knowledge, etc.
Italian sorgente, fonte
  • sorgentean abundant source of knowledge, etc.
  • fontean abundant source of knowledge, etc.
Māori mātāwai
  • mātāwaia spring that is the source of a river
Russian первоисточник
  • первоисточник (pervoistočnik)an abundant source of knowledge, etc.
Cite this entry
APA

fountainhead. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fountainhead

MLA

“fountainhead.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fountainhead. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “fountainhead,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fountainhead.

Source: fountainhead on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.