source

The word “source” means the place, person, or thing that something originates from. In plain terms, where something comes from — information, water, materials — or the act of obtaining it.

“Source” is pronounced saws (/sɔɹs/ in IPA).

Here is “source” used in a sentence: “Solar power is a renewable source of energy.”

Words with a similar meaning to “source” include wellspring and parentage.

The opposite of “source” — its antonyms — is sink.

Depending on how it is used, “source” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “source” comes from Latin. From Old French sourse ("a rising, a spring"), from Latin surgere ("to rise") — the same root that gives us "surge.".

“Source” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

A primary source is original, first-hand material — an eyewitness account, a diary, raw data, or an original document. A secondary source describes, analyses, or comments on primary material, like a textbook or review article. Primary sources are closest to the event; secondary sources interpret them after the fact.

The words overlap heavily. Origin is the single point where something first begins. Source is where something comes from or flows out of — and can also mean an ongoing supplier, like a source of income or a news source. Every origin is a source, but a source need not be the very beginning.

A river's source is the place where it begins — often a spring, melting glacier, or mountain lake high in the landscape. From there the water flows downhill toward the sea. It is the opposite end from the mouth, where the river empties out. 'Source' here shows the word's core sense: where something originates.