A fountain is a decorative structure from which water is pumped into a basin, often with artistic or sculptural elements. It can also refer to a source or supply of something, such as ideas or a continuous flow. In everyday use, it typically denotes a managed water feature in public or private spaces.
"We walked through the park to see the ornate fountain at sunset."
"The hotel lobby features a crystal fountain that soothes guests with its gentle splash."
"The city installed a commemorative fountain to honor the river's heritage."
"He traced the fountain’s source to a hidden spring deep in the hillside."
Fountain comes from the Old French fontaine, from Latin fons, fontis meaning 'spring, fountain, source'. The Latin root fons carried the sense of a natural water source. Medieval Latin and Old French use shifted the term to describe man-made structures that circulate water, often with basins and decorative features. In early English, fountain distinguished between natural springs and engineered water features, evolving to cover ornamental structures in gardens and towns. By the 16th century, fountain was common in literature to denote both water sources and elaborate sculpture-based features. The word broadened in modern English to include figurative uses (a fountain of knowledge). First known use in English dates back to the 13th–14th centuries in religious and civic contexts, with the sense expanding through Renaissance garden design and urban development, where ornate fountains became status symbols and public utilities alike.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Fountain" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Fountain" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Fountain"
-ain sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce it as /ˈfaʊn.tən/ in both US and UK English, with the first syllable stressed. The 'fou' sounds like 'fow' in 'fowl', and the second syllable is a schwa-less 'ten' but with a softer voweled 'ə' sound depending on speaker. Try to keep the t lightly released between syllables. Audio references: you can compare with pronunciations on Forvo or YouGlish, and note the subtle linking in rapid speech.
Common errors include turning the first syllable into a flat 'fon' or 'fown' without the proper diphthong; and over-pronouncing the second syllable as a clear 'ten' rather than a reduced schwa sound. Correction: keep /ˈfaʊn/ for the first syllable with the /aʊ/ diphthong, and reduce the second syllable to /tən/ with a light, unstressed schwa-like ending. Practice the transition between /n/ and /t/ to avoid a heavy 'n' cluster.
In US and UK English, the initial /ˈfaʊn/ is similar, but rhotic accents may show subtle linking with following words; Australian English often features a non-rhotic or semi-rhotic approach with slight vowel color changes. Overall vowel quality remains the same diphthong /aʊ/; the final /ən/ may become more reduced in rapid speech.
The difficulty lies in the two-syllable structure with a strong diphthong /aʊ/ in the first syllable and a rapid, reduced final /ən/. Speakers often misplace the stress or blend the /n/ with /t/. Focus on maintaining clear boundary between /n/ and /t/ and keeping the /aʊ/ as a distinct diphthong rather than a simple /a/ or /ɒ/ sound.
Fountain features a stressed first syllable with a diphthong /aʊ/ followed by a voiceless alveolar stop /t/ in an unstressed second syllable before a syllabic /ən/. The subtle reduction of the second syllable can lead to its pronunciation as /ˈfaʊn.tən/ or /ˈfaʊn.tən/ depending on pace; the key is crisp boundary and non-emphasis of the second syllable.
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