wellspring
/ˈwɛlsprɪŋ/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.38 in modern English
16
Scrabble Score
10
Letters
2
Syllables
9
Unique Chars
Meaning
Example Sentences
- "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."
- "Krapp’s Last Tape has been acted by prisoners in San Quentin and made into a chamber opera. It goes to the wellspring of an actor. Well, most of the time: when Albert Finney played the part, Beckett went to sleep in rehearsals."
Etymology
From Middle English wellespring, from Old English wiellspring, wiellġespring (“spring, fount, fountain”), corresponding to well + spring. More at well, spring.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: wellespring, wiellspring
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈwɛlsprɪŋ/