wellspring means the source of water for a stream, spring or well; a fountainhead; a wellhead. Lexicurio rates it Rare gem — a strength score of 78 out of 100.
wellspring is pronounced /ˈwɛlsprɪŋ/.
Why “wellspring” is a great word
WELLSPRING — [Noun] A source, literally of water or figuratively of anything else, characterized by its abundant and continuous flow. From Middle English wellespring, from Old English wiellspring, wiellġespring ("spring, fount, fountain"), corresponding to 'well' (a spring of water) + 'spring' (a source of water issuing from the ground). Unlike a "fount," which suggests a more singular, pinpoint origin, or a "reservoir," which implies a static store awaiting depletion, a wellspring is dynamic and generative. It is the cold, clear upwelling from hidden rock that feeds a stream, the spontaneous and unaccountable generosity of a particular heart, or the deep, quiet idea from which a lifetime of work effortlessly unfolds. The word speaks not of what is stored, but of what continually arises from the deep and unseen.
noun
- The source of water for a stream, spring or well; a fountainhead; a wellhead.
- A perennial source of anything; a fountainhead of supply or emanation; resource.“We’re so often taught to simply believe in ourselves—to trust our instincts—that to see a narrative in which second-guessing oneself and refusing one’s deepest impulses is a potential wellspring of charity and good is, in itself, noteworthy.”