English

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Etymology

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From Middle English wellespring, from Old English wiellspring, wiellġespring (spring, fount, fountain), corresponding to well +‎ spring. More at well, spring.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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wellspring (plural wellsprings)

  1. The source of water for a stream, spring or well; a fountainhead; a wellhead.
  2. (figurative) A perennial source of anything; a fountainhead of supply or emanation; resource.
    • 2020 September 28, Alex McLevy, “Marilynne Robinson finds transcendence in the stunning, soul-searching Jack”, in The A.V. Club[1], archived from the original on 1 October 2020:
      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.