fountain-head

A clear stream flows from the fountain-head in the forest.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A spring of water: "fountain-head" refers to the source or origin of a stream, spring, or body of water.
   • An origin or source: In a figurative sense, it means the original source or beginning of something, such as an idea, movement, or supply.

Usage Examples

• Literal (water source):
  • The fountain-head of the river is hidden deep in the mountains. (The spring where the river begins is located far away in the mountains.)
• Figurative (origin):
  • The ancient library was considered the fountain-head of all knowledge in the region. (The library was the original source of all learning.)
  • Her grandmother’s stories were the fountain-head of her inspiration for writing. (The grandmother's tales were the starting point of her creative ideas.)

Advanced Usage

• "the fountain-head of": used to describe the ultimate origin or primary source of something abstract.
  • The Constitution is the fountain-head of American law and governance. (It is the original basis from which all laws derive.)
• "fountain-head of a movement": the person, place, or idea that begins a social, political, or artistic trend.
  • The philosopher Plato is often seen as the fountain-head of Western philosophy. (He is the foundational thinker for much of Western thought.)

Variants and Related Words

• Fountainhead (n): a common alternative spelling (one word, without a hyphen) meaning the same as "fountain-head".
  • The fountainhead of the Nile River was long a mystery. (The source of the Nile.)
• Fountain (n): a structure that sends water into the air; also a source (less specific).
  • The fountain in the park is a popular meeting place. (A decorative water feature.)

Synonyms

• Source: the place or thing from which something originates.
• Origin: the point where something begins.
• Wellspring: a plentiful source, especially of something non-material (e.g., ideas or emotions).
• Headwater: the source or upper part of a river or stream.

Related Idioms

• "At the fountain-head": at the very beginning or point of origin.
  • To understand the conflict, you must go back to the fountain-head of the dispute. (Examine the original cause.)
• "Draw from the fountain-head": to obtain something directly from its original source.
  • The scholar insisted on drawing from the fountain-head of ancient texts rather than later commentaries. (Using primary sources.)