originally
Americanadverb
-
with respect to origin; by origin.
Originally he came from California.
-
at the beginning; at first.
Originally this was to be in three volumes.
-
in the first place; primarily.
Originally nomads, they first learned agriculture from the missionaries.
-
in an original, novel, or distinctively individual manner.
Originally planned houses are much in demand.
-
Archaic. from the beginning; from the first; inherently.
adverb
-
in the first place
-
in an original way
-
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.
Originally from North America, the larger and more aggressive grey squirrel is classified as an invasive non-native species, and it is not illegal to kill them humanely.
From BBC • Jun. 15, 2026
Originally proposed by Beardsley Ruml, an executive at Macy’s department store who encouraged shoppers to buy on the installment plan, withholding was cleverly called “pay as you go.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
Originally set to be filed Friday morning, the lawsuit was delayed so lawyers could update it with information from clients who they had lost contact with, the Global Strategic Litigation Council said.
From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026
Originally titled “Being straight is great, actually,” the headline changed when, presumably, someone noted the optics of running a piece with that title on Pride Eve; it now reads “There’s nothing wrong with wanting men.”
From Salon • Jun. 3, 2026
Originally titled Innocent Moves, the film was retitled before final release, with producers deciding to mimic the title of the book on which the film was based.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
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.
