Zdroj

Zdroj is a noun in Czech and Slovak meaning source, origin, or fountain. It denotes the point from which something arises or is obtained, and it can refer to a natural water source as well as to a source of information or other supply. The term is widely used across different domains and can be found in both everyday language and technical contexts.

In natural and geographical usage, zdroj often refers to a spring or other point where water emerges. In hydrology and geography, more specific terms such as prameň or výver may be used, but zdroj remains a common umbrella word for a water source. In everyday language, one might speak of a “zdroj vody” or simply a source of a river or stream.

In information, media, and communication contexts, zdroj is used to mean the source of information. Phrases include zdroj informácií (source of information) and dôveryhodný zdroj (credible source). The word can also denote a person or document providing information, sometimes with implications about reliability or anonymity.

In computing and technology, the standard term for software source code is zdrojový kód; the bare noun zdroj is less commonly used to refer specifically to code, but may appear in more general or cross-language discussions.

Etymology and cognates: the word is of Slavic origin and is cognate with related terms in other Slavic languages, such as Polish źródło and Croatian izvor, which share the same broad meaning of “source.”