fount

Name: fount, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/faʊnt/

//faʊnt// noun

By PlainSpell Editorial Team · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“fount” is an uncommon English word, ranked #68,228 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#68,228
frequency rank, English: 5
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Synonym of fountain (“a natural source of water”); a spring.

Key facts for fount
Property	Value
Headword	fount
Language	English
Part of speech	Noun
IPA	/faʊnt/
Letters	5
Frequency rank	#68,228
Misspellings tracked	0
Confusable pairs	0
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “fount” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). fount lands here:

#68,228

#1#100#1K#10K#100K

← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for fount is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /faʊnt/. Corpus data places it at rank #68,228 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for fount, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: Clipping of fountain, on the pattern of the pair mount, mountain. The correct English form is fount, spelled F-O-U-N-T.

Definition

1
Synonym of fountain (“a natural source of water”); a spring.
2
A device from which poultry may drink; a waterer.
3
That from which something proceeds; an origin, a source.

Etymology

Clipping of fountain, on the pattern of the pair mount, mountain.

This word in other languages

fuente(Español)font(Français)fonte(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "fount"?

"fount" is spelled F-O-U-N-T. The IPA pronunciation is /faʊnt/.

What does "fount" mean?

As a noun, "fount" means: Synonym of fountain (“a natural source of water”); a spring.

How do you pronounce "fount"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "fount" is /faʊnt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.

What is the origin of the word "fount"?

Clipping of fountain, on the pattern of the pair mount, mountain. See the full etymology section above for more details.

Is PlainSpell free to use?

Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “fount”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

The one correct English spelling is F-O-U-N-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as /faʊnt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.