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
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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
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Recent Examples of fountainhead
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
This suggests that Americans will witness more than Band-Aid fixes, that with his election mandate and a Republican majority in Congress, Trump will overhaul the education system into a fountainhead of moral and academic excellence.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 13 Nov. 2024
Boards rarely know how the company actually works: The CEO is usually the fountainhead of all information to the board.
—Shivaram Rajgopal, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2024
From tea drinking to persimmon cultivation, the city became a fountainhead of Japanese food culture.
—Megan Zhang, Saveur, 9 May 2024
The patriarch, the fountainhead, is Eli McCullough, born the same day that Texas became a state, a hard man forged through fire.
—Chris Vognar, Chron, 28 May 2023
Stoic happiness, like Stoic everything else, makes internal calm its fountainhead.
—Tom Bissell, Harper’s Magazine , 10 Apr. 2023
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
This suggests that Americans will witness more than Band-Aid fixes, that with his election mandate and a Republican majority in Congress, Trump will overhaul the education system into a fountainhead of moral and academic excellence.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 13 Nov. 2024
Boards rarely know how the company actually works: The CEO is usually the fountainhead of all information to the board.
—Shivaram Rajgopal, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2024
From tea drinking to persimmon cultivation, the city became a fountainhead of Japanese food culture.
—Megan Zhang, Saveur, 9 May 2024
The patriarch, the fountainhead, is Eli McCullough, born the same day that Texas became a state, a hard man forged through fire.
—Chris Vognar, Chron, 28 May 2023
Stoic happiness, like Stoic everything else, makes internal calm its fountainhead.
—Tom Bissell, Harper’s Magazine , 10 Apr. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fountainhead
Noun
-
Ukrainian and Western governments have accused North Korea of supplying significant amounts of ammunition and troops to support Russia's war, while Kyiv and its NATO backers have identified China as Moscow's prime source of materiel and a vital economic lifeline.—
Leah Sarnoff,
ABC News,
3 Sep. 2025
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Their goal was to find an IP address — the unique identifier assigned to every cell phone and computer — that could reveal the source.—
Samantha Stutsman,
People.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
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And because of its higher-level academic origins, the majority of voters on either side of its function would likely struggle to define it.—
John Scott Lewinski,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
-
The missions will each focus on different effects of the solar wind and space weather, from their origins at the Sun to their farthest reaches billions of miles away at the edge of our Solar System.—
Eric Berger,
ArsTechnica,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
However, looking deep into these swirling cradles of planet formation has always been tricky.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Aug. 2025
-
That success reshaped global conservation practice and earned the park its reputation as the cradle of rhino conservation.—
Sarah Kingdom,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Noun
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For example, most types of turfgrass have short roots, and soil samples from lawns only need to be dug to a depth of 4 inches.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Sep. 2025
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The roots of my family tree are firmly established in the soil of Great Britain.—
Elizabeth Bass Parman,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Kīlauea on Hawaii resumed erupting on Tuesday, shooting lava fountains up to 500 feet into the air for over 13 hours.—
Daniel Orton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Don’t miss neighboring Champ de Mars’s playgrounds, pedal cars, and antique carousel, or the grand fountains and sweeping tower views of the Trocadéro gardens across the Seine.—
Elissa Garay,
AFAR Media,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The bill replaces the state’s once-a-year test with three shorter exams, to be given at the beginning, middle and end of the school year.—
Silas Allen,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 Sep. 2025
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From the very beginning of launching her brand, Mutayo set her sights on the world stage.—
Ugonnaora Owoh,
Essence,
4 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fountainhead.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fountainhead. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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