Fountain

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈfaÊŠn.tnÌ©/
• US

Origin

From Middle English; from Old French fontaine (=modern); from Late Latin fontana, from Latin fontanus, fontaneus, adjectives from fons ("spring, source")

Full definition of fountain

Noun

1. (originally) A spring, natural source of water.
2. An artificial, usually ornamental, water feature (usually in a garden or public place) consisting of one or more streams of water originating from a statue or other structure.
3. The structure from which an artificial fountain issues
4. A reservoir from which liquid can be drawn.
5. A source, origin of a flow (e.g. of favors, of knowledge).
6. A juggling pattern typically done with an even number of props where each prop is caught by the same hand that thows it.
7. (heraldiccharge) A roundel barry wavy argent and azure.
8. (US) A soda fountain.

Synonyms

• fount
• wellspring

Derived terms

Related terms

• font
• fountaineer

Verb

1. To flow or gush as if from a fountain.
• Tom Reamy, Blind VoicesThe fireflies swept toward him from all directions, in streams and rivers and currents of light, a vortex a hundred yards across, spiraling into the brighter center. They met over his supine body like ocean breakers, cascading, fountaining into the air.

Anagrams

• infonaut