What does spout mean?
A spout is an opening or projecting tube through which liquid flows, as on a kettle, watering can, fountain, or industrial vessel. It can also refer to the stream itself, especially when it issues forcefully from a narrow opening. As a verb, spout describes the ejection of liquid, as when a pipe spouts water, and figuratively it means speaking or expressing ideas forcefully and continuously. In everyday criticism, phrases such as “spouting nonsense” suggest that the speaker's claims lack credibility or substance. The word is familiar in British and American English and appears in both literal descriptions of containers and more colorful figurative language. Its usefulness lies in capturing the image of a contained flow emerging through a particular outlet, while also describing language that comes out with force or apparent conviction.
An opening, pipe, or projecting part of a vessel or structure through which liquid or another substance flows.
"He poured milk from the pot through its wide spout."
The noun is also used for the stream or jet issuing from an opening, especially a forceful one.
To eject or discharge liquid or another substance in a stream; figuratively, to speak or express oneself forcefully and continuously.
"The cracked pipe began to spout water across the pavement."
Figurative uses, such as “spout rhetoric,” can imply forceful, repetitive, or insincere expression.
The plural is formed by adding -s.
"Several silver spouts rise from the fountain's basin."
From tea kettles to erupting volcanoes, a spout is where a hidden flow finally finds its way into the open.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does spout come from?
The word comes through Middle English from an Old English term related to Old Norse and other Germanic languages, all of which developed from a Proto-Germanic root associated with projecting or ejecting liquid. The noun and verb developed within English from that inherited vocabulary. The root is also reflected in related Germanic forms concerning jets, spurting, or spurting liquids, although modern meanings and usages vary considerably among those languages.
Related word forms
How spout is actually used
The verb is figurative when it describes forceful or continuous speech, and it often carries a mildly dismissive tone when used of propaganda, claims, or repetitive speech. The noun is common in descriptions of kettles, fountains, teapots, and industrial equipment.
Easily confused with spout
A spurt is a brief, sudden burst of activity or liquid, whereas a spout is a physical opening or the act of issuing a sustained stream.
A snout is an animal's projecting muzzle or nose, while a spout is primarily a channel or opening for pouring or ejecting liquid.