fountainhead

noun

ˈfau̇n-tᵊn-ˌhed How to pronounce fountainhead (audio)
Definition of fountainheadnext
1
as in source
a point or place at which something is invented or provided historically, California has served as the fountainhead of that eclectic group of self-actualization movements known as the New Age

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in origin
the source from which something grows or develops a collection of lyrical ballads that became the fountainhead of a literary revolution

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fountainhead Drummer Booker Stardrum sits behind the kit for rising jazz jammers SML, while Moog player Ben Vida co-founded the turn-of-the-century minimalist-ambient group Town & Country, and logged time in post-emo fountainhead Joan of Arc. — Reed Jackson, SPIN, 3 July 2026 The board pointed to the 46th annual OB Street Fair & Chili Cook-Off on Saturday, June 27, along Newport Avenue as a possible fountainhead of public input, given the usual thousands of people who attend. — Steven Mihailovich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 June 2026 But what if, rather than a trickle of tech, the fountainhead itself comprised the car—a street-legal, limited-production Formula 1 model? — Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 13 Oct. 2025 Trump’s aggressive acts were red meat for those who view California as the fountainhead of permissive behavior. — Dan Walters, Mercury News, 11 June 2025 On the day of the Belvedere's dedication, hundreds of students from Louisville schools released balloons into the sky and watched as fountainheads sprayed water in a dazzling display. — Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 1 Mar. 2025 In the same fashion, the free university, historically the fountainhead of free ideas and scientific discovery, has experienced a revolution in the conduct of research. — Kristan Hawkins, Newsweek, 6 Feb. 2025 From tea drinking to persimmon cultivation, the city became a fountainhead of Japanese food culture. — Megan Zhang, Saveur, 9 May 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fountainhead
  1. source
  2. origin
  3. cradle
  4. root
  5. fountain
  6. beginning
Noun
  • Instead, sources familiar with the situation pointed to Trump’s history of dropping past animosity with Republicans who appease him as one reason Pirro still has a shot of lasting beyond this week’s tenuous moment.
    — Mabinty Quarshie, The Washington Examiner, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Recent research found that shoppers referred by large language models generate 53% more revenue per visit than shoppers arriving through non-AI sources, underscoring how quickly AI is becoming another front door to brands.
    — Dani Mariano, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of source
Noun
  • But although smallpox’s European origins are clear based on the timeline of its devastation, epidemiologists have yet to identify strong genetic evidence to support this arc.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 30 July 2026
  • Just days before the hearing, Paul released over 1,000 pages of Fauci's private diary entries from the pandemic period, accusing him of hiding the truth about COVID-19's origins.
    — Brittney Melton, NPR, 30 July 2026
Definition of origin
Noun
  • Vigeland Museum describes the work as a summary of the park’s journey from cradle to grave, encompassing joy, sorrow, hope and longing.
    — David Nikel, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • Does the documentary go through your entire life, cradle to now?
    — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 28 July 2026
Definition of cradle
Noun
  • This can help address the root cause of behaviors such as spending excessive time in bed awake, maintaining irregular sleep schedules, and conditioned arousal such as worrying about sleep.
    — Joan M. Cook, Time, 31 July 2026
  • The Buffalo Rose Saloon (Golden) Located in the heart of downtown Golden, the buildings that house The Buffalo Rose events complex have roots that are as old as the city itself.
    — Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 31 July 2026
Definition of root
Noun
  • On land, a volcanic eruption is dramatic—columns of ash, fountains of lava, a complete remaking of the terrain.
    — Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 31 July 2026
  • And the animals have to stay away from fountains and off the escalators.
    — Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026
Definition of fountain
Noun
  • Her exit follows the resignations last week of acting Chief Financial Officer Steve Mahr and Deputy CFO Noor Shaikh in June — coming after CFO Jill Jaworski departed at the beginning of this year.
    — Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 4 Aug. 2026
  • For Jed Hoyer, trading Triple-A outfielder Brett Bateman and Class-A infielder Ty Southisene in Sunday night’s deal with the Blue Jays was only the beginning of a buying spree.
    — Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of beginning

Browse Nearby Words

fountained
fountainhead
fountainheads
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Fountainhead.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fountainhead. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of torpor

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All