forrást

forrást is the definite direct object form of the Hungarian noun forrás, meaning source, origin, or spring. The base form forrás covers several senses: a natural water source (vízforrás), the origin or starting point of something, and a source of information or data. In geography, a forrás refers to a spring or place where a river begins; in information use, a forrás refers to the document, person, or institution from which information is obtained. In figurative use, one speaks of the forrás of a problem, an idea, or a trend—the root cause or starting point.

In Hungarian grammar, forrást is used when the source is the direct object of the sentence. Example: A kutató a forrást megnevezte. The plural forms are források (subject) and forrásokat (definite direct object). The term also appears in compounds such as vízforrás (water source), forráskritika (source criticism), and forráslista (list of sources). The word is common in journalism, academia, and everyday speech, and its exact meaning is determined by context: natural geography, information sources, or metaphorical origin.

See also: forrás, forráslista, forráskritika, vízforrás.