fuentes

Fuentes is the plural form of fuente in Spanish and has several related meanings. It primarily denotes a fountain or spring, but it can also refer more broadly to a source from which water, information, or inspiration flows. In journalism, research, and everyday speech, fuentes (or fuentes de conocimiento) are the origins of statements or data, with “fuentes confiables” meaning credible sources.

In toponymy, the term appears in numerous Spanish place names, often reflecting historical springs or wells in the area. Examples include Fuentes de Andalucía in Seville, Fuentes de Ebro in Zaragoza, and Fuentes de Oñoro in Salamanca. Hundreds of other towns and villages in Spain and Latin America bear derivatives of the word, illustrating its long-standing association with water sources and geographic features.

Fuentes is also a common Spanish surname. Notable individuals include Carlos Fuentes (1928–2012), a Mexican novelist and essayist renowned for works such as The Death of Artemio Cruz. The surname appears in various contexts across the Spanish-speaking world, carried by people in culture, politics, and academia.

Etymologically, fuent es derives from Latin fons, fontis, meaning “spring” or “source.” The modern meanings—fountain, source of information, source of inspiration—share that core idea of a place or origin from which something flows.

In contemporary usage, the word appears in phrases such as fuentes de datos (data sources) and fuentes históricas (historical sources), as well as in geographic names and personal names. See also: Fuente.