original

American  

[uh-rij-uh-nl] / əˈrɪdʒ ə nl /

adjective

1. belonging or pertaining to the origin or beginning of something, or to a thing at its beginning.

   The book still has its original binding.

   Synonyms:

   primitive, primeval, primordial, primary

2. new; fresh; inventive; novel.

   an original way of advertising.

3. arising or proceeding independently of anything else.

   an original view of history.

4. capable of or given to thinking or acting in an independent, creative, or individual manner.

   an original thinker.

5. created, undertaken, or presented for the first time.

   to give the original performance of a string quartet.

6. being something from which a copy, a translation, or the like is made.

   The original document is in Washington.

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noun

• originals
  plural

1. a primary form or type from which varieties are derived.

   Synonyms:

   model, prototype, pattern, archetype

   Antonyms:

   copy

2. an original work, writing, or the like, as opposed to any copy or imitation.

   The original of this is in the British Museum.

3. the person or thing represented by a picture, description, etc..

   The original is said to have been the painter's own house.

4. a person whose ways of thinking or acting are original.

   In a field of brilliant technicians he is a true original.

5. Archaic. an eccentric person.

6. Archaic. a source of being; an author or originator.

original British  

/ əˈrɪdʒɪnəl /

adjective

1. of or relating to an origin or beginning

2. fresh and unusual; novel

3. able to think of or carry out new ideas or concepts

4. being that from which a copy, translation, etc, is made

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noun

1. the first and genuine form of something, from which others are derived

2. a person or thing used as a model in art or literature

3. a person whose way of thinking is unusual or creative

4. an unconventional or strange person

5. the first form or occurrence of something

6. an archaic word for originator See originator

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonoriginal
  adjective
• preoriginal
  adjective
• quasi-original
  adjective
• unoriginal
  adjective
• nonoriginally
  adverb
• preoriginally
  adverb
• quasi-originally
  adverb
• unoriginally
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• originals
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of original

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Latin orīginālis (adjective) and Medieval Latin orīgināle “original document” (noun use of neuter adjective), equivalent to orīgin- “beginning, source” + -ālis adjective suffix; see origin, -al ¹

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Explanation

When you buy a car from its original owner, you know it's only been owned by one person. Original means "the very first." Original comes from the Latin word originem, which means "beginning or birth." Whether you're using it as an adjective to describe something that is literally the very first, or as a noun meaning something that serves as a model for making copies, original means "first." Even when you describe an original idea, meaning "something fresh or unusual," you're talking about the first idea of its kind.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

original originals

He said the original Levelling Up grant was intended to tackle deprivation and health inequalities, and urged the council to commit the full £14.6m to alternative projects in Bradford West if ministers agreed.

From BBC ● Nov. 11, 2026

The possible explanations included ordinary circulation wear and corrosion, mechanical damage occurring after minting, later compression under restricted conditions, and deformation during the original manufacturing process.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 11, 2026

But there still needs to be a foundation of original ideas, critical thinking and refined taste for the AI to build upon, the experts all emphasize.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 11, 2026

Open land and the original pony express trail separate newly constructed neighborhoods.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 10, 2026

Bertillon staged a fake heist, a re-creation of the original theft.

From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day

The results were “very close to the originals: same structure, same hooks reused with light rewording, and full sets of verses/choruses/bridges.”

From Salon ● Oct. 30, 2026

“Our strategy is simple: invest in differentiated, exclusive, professionally-produced entertainment like Netflix originals that spark conversation, bring in more members, and make us a ‘must-have’ service,” Netflix said in its letter.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026

Each artist sings lead on his originals, and the record’s tracks alternate between the pair.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

And Everton remain one of only six Premier League originals, along with Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, who have never dropped out of the top tier.

From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026

I nodded; knowing that the copies would be even further from these scribbled originals which hung upon the wall.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson

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Related Words

• creative
• imaginative
• innovative
• inventive
• seminal
• unconventional
• unusual

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