source

/sɔrs/

/sɔs/

Other forms: sources; sourcing; sourced

The noun source describes an origin, like the source who gave the journalist the information that broke a new story, or the place something originates, like the source of a river, or the Web site that is your source for celebrity gossip.

The noun source can also refer to information obtained from documents, such as books, letters, newspapers, and journals. For example, when you write a research paper, you read, paraphrase and quote from sources. A source can also be a place where you get things, like a certain store being your source for discount sneakers or something that provides, like oranges, a good source of Vitamin C.

Definitions of source
  1. noun
    the place where something begins, where it springs into being
    “Pittsburgh is the source of the Ohio River”
    synonyms: beginning, origin, root, rootage
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    types:
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    derivation
    the source or origin from which something derives (i.e. comes or issues)
    spring
    a point at which water issues forth
    fountainhead, head, headspring
    the source of water from which a stream arises
    headwater
    the source of a river
    wellhead, wellspring
    the source of water for a well
    jumping-off place, point of departure
    a place from which an enterprise or expedition is launched
    birthplace, cradle, place of origin, provenance, provenience
    where something originated or was nurtured in its early existence
    home
    place where something began and flourished
    point source
    a concentrated source (especially of radiation or pollution) that is spatially constricted
    trail head, trailhead
    the beginning of a trail
    type of:
    point
    the precise location of something; a spatially limited location
  2. noun
    a place or thing from which something is obtained or derived
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    type of:
    physical entity
    an entity that has physical existence
  3. noun
    a facility where something is available
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    types:
    Golconda
    a source of great wealth (especially a mine)
    gold mine, goldmine
    a good source of something that is desired
    type of:
    facility, installation
    a building or place that provides a particular service or is used for a particular industry
  4. noun
    someone who originates or causes or initiates something
    synonyms: author, generator
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    types:
    coiner
    someone who is a source of new words or new expressions
    type of:
    maker, shaper
    a person who makes things
  5. noun
    a person who supplies information
    synonyms: informant
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    types:
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    betrayer, blabber, informer, rat, squealer
    one who reveals confidential information in return for money
    leaker
    a surreptitious informant
    passive source
    an informant who is not assigned to obtain specific intelligence but who routinely passes on whatever information he or she has
    whistle blower, whistle-blower, whistleblower
    an informant who exposes wrongdoing within an organization in the hope of stopping it
    canary, fink, sneak, sneaker, snitch, snitcher, stool pigeon, stoolie, stoolpigeon
    someone acting as an informer or decoy for the police
    copper's nark, nark
    an informer or spy working for the police
    grass, supergrass
    a police informer who implicates many people
    type of:
    communicator
    a person who communicates with others
  6. noun
    a document (or organization) from which information is obtained
    “the reporter had two sources for the story”
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    source materials
    publications from which information is obtained
    fountainhead, well, wellspring
    an abundant source
    primary source
    a firsthand account or contemporary document or artifact that provides information about an event or time period
    secondary source
    a source that describes or analyzes information from primary sources
    type of:
    document, papers, written document
    writing that provides information (especially information of an official nature)
  7. noun
    a publication (or a passage from a publication) that is referred to
    “he spent hours looking for the source of that quotation”
    synonyms: reference
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    type of:
    publication
    a copy of a printed work offered for distribution
  8. noun
    anything that provides inspiration for later work
    synonyms: germ, seed
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    types:
    taproot
    something that provides an important central source for growth or development
    muse
    the source of an artist's inspiration
    type of:
    inspiration
    arousal of the mind to special unusual activity or creativity
  9. verb
    get (a product) from another country or business
    “She sourced a supply of carpet”
    “They are sourcing from smaller companies”
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    types:
    outsource
    obtain goods or services from an outside supplier; to contract work out
    type of:
    obtain
    come into possession of
  10. verb
    specify the origin of
    “The writer carefully sourced her report”
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    type of:
    document
    support or supply with references
  11. noun
    (technology) a process by which energy or a substance enters a system
    “a heat source”
    “a source of carbon dioxide”
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    Antonyms:
    sink
    (technology) a process that acts to absorb or remove energy or a substance from a system
    types:
    origin
    the source of something's existence or from which it derives or is derived
    type of:
    action, activity, natural action, natural process
    a process existing in or produced by nature (rather than by the intent of human beings)
  12. noun
    anything (a person or animal or plant or substance) in which an infectious agent normally lives and multiplies
    synonyms: reservoir
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    type of:
    thing
    a separate and self-contained entity
Pronunciation
US

/sɔrs/
UK

/sɔs/
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘source'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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