sourcing

IPA/sˈɔːsɪŋ/
KK[sˈɔrsɪŋ]IPA/sˈɔːrsɪŋ/

sourcing — noun

1. The activity of obtaining materials, products, or services from particular suppl

1.nounB2
Definition

The activity of obtaining materials, products, or services from particular suppliers, countries, or channels as part of running a business.

Example

Ethical sourcing has become a priority for many clothing companies around the world.

ethical sourcing (common modifier + noun)

The company's global sourcing strategy helps it keep its production costs low.

global sourcing strategy

Common collocations
  • ethical sourcing
  • global sourcing
  • local sourcing
  • sustainable sourcing
  • sourcing of + noun
  • responsible sourcing
Synonyms
  • procurement

    More formal and broad; covers the entire purchasing process, including negotiation and contracts.

  • supply

    Refers to the availability or flow of items; less focused on the active act of obtaining.

Grammar Patterns

sourcing of + noun

sourcing from + place / supplier

Usage Note

The noun 'sourcing' is related to the verb 'source' (obtain from a particular place). It is widely used in business contexts with modifiers such as 'ethical sourcing', 'global sourcing', 'local sourcing', and 'sustainable sourcing'. The gerund form ('Sourcing fresh ingredients…') can also appear at the start of a sentence as a subject.

Common Mistakes

The sourcing of the river is in the mountains.
The sourcing of materials happens at the factory.
'Sourcing' as a noun refers to the activity of obtaining things, not to the origin or starting point of something.

sourcing — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

'Sourcing' (verb/1) is the -ing form of 'source' and focuses on the active process of finding and choosing suppliers, often with strategic business implications. 'Procuring' is more formal and covers the full purchasing cycle, including contracts, payment, and delivery logistics. 'Obtaining' is the most general term — it covers any act of getting something, including things you receive without payment, and lacks the business-supply-chain connotations of 'sourcing'. 'Supplying' is the opposite direction: the seller or provider supplies, while the buyer sources. For example, a coffee shop sources beans from Colombia (the buyer's perspective), while a distributor supplies them to the coffee shop (the seller's perspective). In practice, 'sourcing' is the most common term in corporate strategy language ('sourcing strategy', 'sourcing department'), while 'procuring' appears more in legal or government contexts.

sourcing ↗procuringobtaining ↗supplying ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • ethical sourcing
  • global sourcing
  • local sourcing
  • sustainable sourcing
  • sourcing strategy
  • sourcing department

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

The word 'sourcing' is the gerund and present participle of the verb 'source', which itself was formed from the noun 'source' (meaning 'origin' or 'starting point') in the mid-20th century. 'Source' entered English from Old French 'sourse' (a rising up), from Latin 'surgere' (to rise). The noun 'sourcing' developed in business terminology from the 1970s onward, especially in phrases like 'global sourcing' and 'sourcing strategy', to describe the organised activity of obtaining goods from chosen suppliers.