source
Where it begins
A source is where something comes from or originates.
Water has a source; so does information.
A source of income provides money.
A journalist's source supplies information, often anonymously: The reporter refused to reveal her sources.
To source something is to obtain it from a particular place: We source our coffee beans from Colombia.
In academic writing, sources are the materials cited as evidence or reference.
Recoiling metal spiral
- headwatersRiver's starting point
- wellspringPrimary source of something
- aquiferGroundwater-bearing geological formation
- fountainWater-spouting structure
watershed · tributary · stream · river · groundwater · artesian · mouth · delta
Insider who reports misconduct
- leakerOne who discloses secrets
- moleSubterranean insectivore
- insiderOne with confidential access
- contactCommunication or physical touch
tipster · snitch · spy · deep-throat · asset · confidant · witness · interviewee
Point of creation
- beginningInitial stage of something
- inceptionFounding moment
- birthComing into the world
- dawnDay's first glow
creation · commencement · roots · provenance · foundation · ancestry · baseline · outset
Mention of a source
- footnoteCitation at page bottom
- bibliographyList of cited works
- attributionAssigning origin or cause
- quotationCited passage or price
document · text · publication · evidence · endnote · hyperlink · authority · corroboration
What initiates action
- catalystAgent enabling change
- reasonBasis or justification
- rootUnderground absorbing structure
- basisUnderlying support or principle
impetus · stimulus · motivation · grounds · antecedent · precursor · inducement · instigation
Stored historical records
- databaseOrganized digital information collection
- repositoryPlace for storing things
- collectionGathered set of items
- compendiumCondensed reference collection
lexicon · catalogue · depository · treasury · anthology · compilation · register · library
Place for storing things
Bulk goods middleman
- distributorEntity channeling goods downstream
- vendorOne who sells goods
- providerOne who furnishes things
- merchantOne who sells wares
purveyor · dealer · broker · importer · exporter · manufacturer · producer · contractor
spring
Recoiling metal spiral
- headwatersRiver's starting point
- wellspringPrimary source of something
- aquiferGroundwater-bearing geological formation
fountain · watershed · tributary · stream · river · groundwater · artesian · mouth · delta · confluence
whistleblower
Insider who reports misconduct
contact · tipster · snitch · spy · deep-throat · asset · confidant · witness · interviewee · subject
genesis
Point of creation
dawn · creation · commencement · roots · provenance · foundation · ancestry · baseline · outset · seed
citation
Mention of a source
- footnoteCitation at page bottom
- bibliographyList of cited works
- attributionAssigning origin or cause
quotation · document · text · publication · evidence · endnote · hyperlink · authority · corroboration · verification
trigger
What initiates action
basis · impetus · stimulus · motivation · grounds · antecedent · precursor · inducement · instigation · provocation
archive
Stored historical records
- databaseOrganized digital information collection
- repositoryPlace for storing things
- collectionGathered set of items
compendium · lexicon · catalogue · depository · treasury · anthology · compilation · register · library · corpus
repository
Place for storing things
- codebaseSoftware project's complete source
- libraryBook collection or building
- moduleIndependent functional component
package · GitHub · fork · branch · commit · documentation · API · SDK
wholesaler
Bulk goods middleman
- distributorEntity channeling goods downstream
- vendorOne who sells goods
- providerOne who furnishes things
merchant · purveyor · dealer · broker · importer · exporter · manufacturer · producer · contractor · farm
electricity
Energy from charged particles
utility · renewable · solar · wind · hydroelectric · nuclear · coal · gas · energy · outlet
- NileNile, River Nile, Blue Nile, White Nile, Nile Delta
- originsbeginning, birth, creation, roots, starts
- waterwaysriver, rivers, canal, canals, stream
- background infohistory, context, backstory, background, origin
- places of originhomeland, birthplace, motherland, fatherland, hometown
- referencesreference, references, dictionary, encyclopedia, atlas
sourcedestination
Intended arrival point
end · terminus · mouth · endpoint · termination
- light sourceWhat gives off illumination
- power sourceOrigin of energy
- source materialOriginal work adapted from
- energy sourcesOrigins of usable power
- open sourcePublicly accessible code
- dietary sourcesFoods supplying particular nutrients
resource, resources, resourceful, sources, resourcefulness, sourced, sourcing, outsource, resourced