Fons et origo is a Latin term meaning "source and origin". Typical usage of the term describes

Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...

as the ''fons et origo'' of democracy, or Italy as the ''fons et origo'' of classical music.

Lancelot Ware Lancelot Lionel Ware OBE (5 June 191515 August 2000) was an English barrister and biochemist. He co-founded Mensa, the international society for intellectually gifted people, with the Australian barrister Roland Berrill in 1946. It was ori ...

(1915–2000), the founder of Mensa, was awarded the honorary title ''Fons et Origo'' by the society in 1987.Lancelot Ware obituary
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References

{{reflist *Collected Works. "I seem to be the fons et origo of all the evil imputed to the

ndian Ndian is a department of Southwest Region in Cameroon. It is located in the humid tropical rainforest zone about southeast of Yaoundé, the capital. History Ndian division was formed in 1975 from parts of Kumba and Victoria divisions and is ...

Congress." (1943) *Quoted in ''Gandhi and Churchill'' by Arthur Herman, (2008) Bantam Dell, NY, NY Latin words and phrases