Original - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

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SKIP TO CONTENT original /əˈrɪdʒɪnəl/ /əˈrɪdʒɪnəl/ IPA guide

Other forms: originals

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.

Definitions of original

adjective preceding all others in time or being as first made or performed “the original inhabitants of the Americas” “the book still has its original binding” “restored the house to its original condition” “the original performance of the opera” “the original cast” “retracted his original statement” synonyms: first preceding all others in time or space or degree
adjective being or productive of something fresh and unusual; or being as first made or thought of “a truly original approach” “with original music” “an original mind” synonyms: unconventional not conforming to accepted rules or standards creative, originative having the ability or power to create, especially something new or imaginative first preceding all others in time or space or degree avant-garde, daring radically new or original freehand, freehanded done by hand without mechanical aids or devices fresh, new, novel original and of a kind not seen before germinal, originative, seminal containing seeds of later development groundbreaking, innovational, innovative being or producing something like nothing done or experienced or created before new, newfangled (of a new kind or fashion) gratuitously new underivative not derivative or imitative primary of first rank or importance or value; direct and immediate rather than secondary see moresee less antonyms: unoriginal not original; not being or productive of something fresh and unusual conventional following accepted customs and proprieties uncreative not creative stale lacking freshness, palatability, or showing deterioration from age banal, commonplace, hackneyed, old-hat, shopworn, stock, threadbare, timeworn, tired, trite, well-worn repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse bromidic, corny, platitudinal, platitudinous dull and tiresome but with pretensions of significance or originality cliched, ready-made repeated regularly without thought or originality cold, dusty, moth-eaten, stale lacking originality or spontaneity; no longer new slavish blindly imitative secondary being of second rank or importance or value; not direct or immediate show more antonyms...
adjective not derived or copied or translated from something else “the play is original” “he kept the original copy and gave her only a xerox” “the translation misses much of the subtlety of the original French” synonyms: underived not derived; primary or simple
adjective (of e.g. information) not secondhand or by way of something intermediary “his work is based on only original, not secondary, sources” synonyms: primary of first rank or importance or value; direct and immediate rather than secondary
noun an original creation (i.e., an audio recording) from which copies can be made synonyms: master, master copy see moresee less type of: creation an artifact that has been brought into existence by someone
noun something that serves as a model or a basis for making copies “this painting is a copy of the original” synonyms: archetype, pilot see moresee less types: prototype the first functional model of some new design or product type of: example, model a representative form or pattern

Pronunciation US /əˈrɪdʒɪnəl/ UK /əˈrɪdʒɪnəl/ Cite this entry Style: MLA

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Copy citation DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘original'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback Word Family

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