originally
Americanadverb
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with respect to origin; by origin.
Originally he came from California.
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at the beginning; at first.
Originally this was to be in three volumes.
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in the first place; primarily.
Originally nomads, they first learned agriculture from the missionaries.
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in an original, novel, or distinctively individual manner.
Originally planned houses are much in demand.
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Archaic. from the beginning; from the first; inherently.
adverb
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in the first place
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in an original way
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with reference to the origin or beginning
Etymology
Origin of originally
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The chemical makeup of a giant planet's outer atmosphere is thought to retain clues about the environment where it originally formed.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 14, 2026
“The cats were originally for pest control,” says Ben Aubuchon, marketing manager for Aubuchon and great-grandson of the founder.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026
Now, 16 years after the couple picked up the property, they are hoping to score an impressive return on their investment, asking more than double what they originally paid.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 12, 2026
A Doja Cat concert originally scheduled for Oct.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2026
They were originally concocted by Chandresh on a whim, brought about by a combination of chronic insomnia and keeping theatrical hours, along with an innate dislike of proper dinner-party etiquette.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
