French word

fontaine

Pronunciation

IPA/fɔ̃tɛn/

Meaning

  • feminine nounfountain

Example

Il y a une fontaine au centre de la place.

There is a fountain in the center of the square.

Illustration for fontaine (fountain)

More examples

Elle a bu à la fontaine publique.

She drank from the public fountain.

Core concept

Water emerging at a visible point, whether framed by public stonework or flowing from the ground.

Common phrases

  • la fontaine publique

    public fountain

  • une fontaine à boire

    drinking fountain

Similar words

robinet: A device on a water pipe that releases water.
source: A natural place where water emerges from the ground or a mountain.
puits: A deep hole or structure dug to draw up groundwater.
bassin: A shallow artificial pool or tank for holding water.

Definition in French

Ouvrage ou lieu d'où jaillit ou coule de l'eau, soit conçu pour l'ornement public, soit correspondant à une source naturelle.

Word origin

The French noun developed from Old French fontaine and Latin fontana, a feminine form linked to the Latin word fons, fontis.

Usage tips

  • In fontaine, the final -aine sounds like the French vowel in scène, not like the English word rain.

Other meanings

  • springnoun
  • drinking fountainnoun

Word lists with this word