ORIGINAL | Meaning, Definition In Cambridge English Dictionary

Meaning of original in English originaladjective uk /əˈrɪdʒ.ən.əl/ us /əˈrɪdʒ.ən.əl/

original adjective (FIRST MADE)

Add to word list Add to word list B1 [ usually before noun ] existing since the beginning, or being the earliest form of something: Is this the original fireplace? The gardens have recently been restored to their original glory. B2 [ usually before noun ] An original piece of work, such as a painting, etc. is produced by the artist and not a copy: an original drawing/manuscript Is this an original Rembrandt? (= Was it painted by him?)

• We agreed to look afresh at her original proposal.
• This is a daring new film by one of our most original modern directors.
• My original statement has been completely distorted by the media.
• Researchers tried many times to replicate the original experiment.
• I'd like to steer our discussion back to our original topic.

First and firstly

• advance guard
• at first blush idiom
• at first idiom
• begin
• blush
• debut
• for starters idiom
• formative
• former
• from the word go idiom
• front end
• initial
• maiden
• make your debut
• opener
• originally
• prefatory
• primary
• sight
• starter

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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

Samples and examples

original adjective (DIFFERENT)

B1 approving not the same as anything or anyone else and therefore special and interesting: original ideas/suggestions/work She's a highly original young designer. Opposite unoriginal good or important because of unusual qualities

• specialAre you doing anything special for your birthday?
• exceptionalTheir standard of acting was very high but there was one exceptional performance.
• outstandingHe accepted an award for outstanding achievement in baseball.
• extraordinaryHer capacity to remember things is extraordinary.
• deluxeThe salesman tried to sell us the deluxe model.

See more results » recently appeared, arrived, or developed

• newI bought a new suit for my interview.
• brand newThe company unveiled a brand new product this week.
• novelThat's a novel way of approaching the problem.
• novelThe bank has introduced a novel way of detecting fraud.
• innovativeThe project uses innovative ideas for recycling.

See more results » New

• afresh
• be ahead of the curve idiom
• box-fresh
• brand new
• ink
• innovative
• innovatively
• latest
• newborn
• newness
• next-gen
• next-generation
• novel
• novelty
• originality
• the avant-garde
• the ink is not dry/still wet idiom
• unprecedented
• up-to-the-minute idiom
• youth

See more results » originalnoun [ C ] uk /əˈrɪdʒ.ən.əl/ us /əˈrɪdʒ.ən.əl/ B2 the first one made and not a copy: Can you give me the original of your report? I can't read this copy. B2 a piece of work by a famous artist or designer and not a copy by someone else: If the painting is an original, it will be very valuable.  in the original If you read something in the original, you read it in the language in which it was first written: As part of his studies, he read Homer in the original. See more

• This painting is only a copy - the original hangs in the Louvre.
• This watch may be a counterfeit, but it looks just like the original.
• The new version is worse in every respect - I much preferred the original.
• The new version of the program comes with a much better user interface than the original.
• It's an original, not one of those imitation jobs.

Samples and examples

• advertisement
• aliquot
• apotheosis
• archetype
• benchmark
• benchmarking
• exemplar
• exemplification
• flavour
• for instance idiom
• forerunner
• incarnation
• lodestar
• prize
• prototype
• qua
• quintessence
• role model
• specimen
• taste

See more results »

You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

The visual arts in general (Definition of original from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

original | American Dictionary

originalnoun [ C ] us /əˈrɪdʒ·ə·nəl/ Add to word list Add to word list the first one made and not a copy: Send a copy of your receipt, but keep the original. An original is also a piece of work by an artist or designer and not a copy by someone else. Someone who is an original behaves or speaks in a way that is not like other people. originaladjective [ not gradable ] us /əˈrɪdʒ·ə·nəl/ in the earliest form of something, or in the form that existed at the beginning: The original plans have been changed. Original can also mean different from anything or anyone else and therefore new and interesting: Our teacher said we’d better come up with something original. An original piece of work, such as a painting or drawing, is produced by the artist or writer and is not a copy. (Definition of original from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

original | Business English

originaladjective uk /əˈrɪdʒənəl/ us Add to word list Add to word list spoken, written, or existing first: The final cost was much greater than the contractor's original estimate. We have more than doubled our original investment. His original plan was to stay two to three years, but he loved the job so much that he has never left. Please do not send original documents with your application. not the same as anything or anyone else and for that reason special and interesting: original idea/suggestion, etc. We need some original ideas that will increase sales. She's a highly original young designer. originalnoun [ C ] uk /əˈrɪdʒənəl/ us the first one made and not a copy: Can you let me have the original of your report? Sign the original and return it to us, keeping the copy for your records. The new version is worse in every respect - I much preferred the original. (Definition of original from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Examples of original

original The substitute and transposed arias are inserted into the score after the originals and are cued in with ' altra'. From the Cambridge English Corpus From an algorithmic point of view, dictionary based text rewriting is complicated by the fact that occurrences of originals in a text may overlap. From the Cambridge English Corpus At least at first, the resurrection counterparts are very similar to their earthly originals. From the Cambridge English Corpus One way to give them more natural lives is to give them lives that are more similar to the lives of their earthly originals. From the Cambridge English Corpus Read this book to get a multitude of flavours of the period : but go to the originals rather than quote it extensively. From the Cambridge English Corpus Basically this means that there is a preference for replacing originals that start first in the natural (left-to-right) reading order. From the Cambridge English Corpus While the early music practice aims at faithful reproduction of historical originals, some ethnomusicological approaches aim at recreating local settings. From the Cambridge English Corpus In addition to the 12 core events, 24 events were created that differed systematically from the originals. From the Cambridge English Corpus However, even the most perfect reproduction lacks the unicity of the original's presence at the place where it dwells. From the Cambridge English Corpus Dictionarybased text rewriting simply means to replace occurrences of originals in an input text by their corresponding substitutes. From the Cambridge English Corpus The verbal description and the hand gesture in relation to the originals elaborate each other. From the Cambridge English Corpus In excerpts (1) and (2), the customers have their originals ready for referring before they produce the reference. From the Cambridge English Corpus Customers provide some of the raw materials, the "originals," and specify the services to be performed on them. From the Cambridge English Corpus The customer requests copies of this (line 01) and rotates a stack of originals to face the employee (line 02). From the Cambridge English Corpus Unfortunately, her discussion fails to contribute any understanding beyond what graduate students might get from simply reading these originals. From the Cambridge English Corpus See all examples of original These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors. What is the pronunciation of original?

Translations of original

in Chinese (Traditional) 原先的, 起初的，原先的，最早的, 原作的，真跡的，非贗品的… See more in Chinese (Simplified) 原先的, 起初的，原先的，最早的, 原作的，真迹的，非赝品的… See more in Spanish original, primero, original [masculine-feminine… See more in Portuguese original, primeiro, original [masculine]… See more in Marathi in Japanese in Turkish in French in Catalan in Dutch in Tamil in Hindi in Gujarati in Danish in Swedish in Malay in German in Norwegian in Urdu in Ukrainian in Telugu in Bengali in Czech in Indonesian in Thai in Vietnamese in Polish in Korean in Italian मुळातील, अस्सल, मुळच्या… See more 独創的な, 原本の, （複製に対して）もとの… See more özgün, tek, kendine özgü… See more original/-ale, d’origine, original [masculine]… See more original, primer… See more origineel, model… See more ஆரம்பத்தில் இருந்தே இருக்கும், அல்லது ஏதோவொன்றின் ஆரம்ப வடிவமாக இருப்பது, ஒரு ஓவியம் போன்ற ஒரு அசல் வேலை. கலைஞரால் தயாரிக்கப்படுகிறது… See more (किसी चीज़ का) मूल, प्रथम, किसी चीज़ का पहला और अविकसित प्रकार… See more મૂળ, અસલ, મૌલિક… See more oprindelig, original, model… See more ursprunglig, originell, original[målning]… See more asal, model lukisan… See more original, originell, Original…… See more original, original [masculine], opprinnelig… See more اصلی, قدیمی, ابتدائی… See more первісний, перший, самобутній… See more అసలు/ ప్రారంభం నుండి ఉనికిలో ఉంది, లేదా దేనిదైనా ప్రారంభ రూపం, అసలుది/ అసలైన వర్ణచిత్రం మొదలైన అసలు కళలు కళాకారుడి చేతిలో తయారవుతాయి… See more আসল, মৌলিক, অন্য কোনো ব্যক্তি বা বস্তুর মতো নয়… See more původní, originální, svérázný… See more asli, orisinal, model… See more ซึ่งเป็นแบบฉบับ, ใหม่, (ภาพเขียน) ซึ่งเป็นต้นฉบับ… See more nguyên bản, độc đáo, gốc… See more oryginalny, pierwotny, oryginał… See more 독창적인, 본래의, 원본의… See more originale, originario… See more Need a translator?

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orificial orig. origami origin original original equipment manufacturer original invoice original jurisdiction original sin {{#randomImageQuizHook.filename}} {{#randomImageQuizHook.isQuiz}} Test your vocabulary with our fun image quizzes Try a quiz now {{/randomImageQuizHook.isQuiz}} {{^randomImageQuizHook.isQuiz}} {{/randomImageQuizHook.isQuiz}} {{/randomImageQuizHook.filename}}

More meanings of original

• original jurisdiction
• original sin
• original invoice
• original equipment manufacturer
• book of original entry, at book of first entry
• in the original phrase

See all meanings

• in the original phrase

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red velvet cake

UK /ˌred ˈvel.vɪt ˌkeɪk/ US /ˌred ˈvel.vɪt ˌkeɪk/

a type of chocolate cake made with vinegar, buttermilk and red food colouring, with cream cheese icing on top

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• English   
  • Adjective 
    • original (FIRST MADE)
    • original (DIFFERENT)
  • Noun 
    • original
    • in the original
• American   NounAdjective
• Business   AdjectiveNoun
• Examples

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