source

Imagine a river: it has a source, the place where it begins. But the word is not only about water. It can mean where something comes from, like information (a reliable news source), energy (solar power is a renewable source), or ideas (Shakespeare is a source of many stories). If your grandmother's apple pie is amazing, you could say she is the source of that goodness.

Think of it as the starting point of something. A detective looks for sources to solve a mystery, and historians study primary sources, like letters and diaries, to understand the past. Sometimes source also means something that provides what is needed, as when a factory is a source of jobs for a town.

The word source describes the point of origin or beginning of something, whether it's physical, informational, or abstract. Just as a spring is the source of a river, a source provides what comes after. This could be incredibly literal: "The Amazon River's source is in the Andes Mountains."

But source extends far beyond geography. In journalism and research, a source is a person or document that provides information. A reliable source is important for accurate reporting: "According to a government source, new regulations are expected next week."

It can also refer to a supply of something: "Oil is a major energy source." Or the origin of an idea or feeling: "Shakespeare remains a rich source of inspiration for playwrights today." In computer programming, source code refers to the human-readable instructions that tell a computer what to do.

Figuratively, we can talk about someone being "the source" of trouble (meaning they cause it) or happiness (meaning they bring it). So, whether you're tracing a river back to its beginning, checking information with an expert, or simply naming where something comes from, source points to the basic origin or supply behind it.