origin

American  

[awr-i-jin, or-] / ˈɔr ɪ dʒɪn, ˈɒr- /

noun

• origins
  plural

1. 

   something from which anything arises or is derived; source; fountainhead.

   to follow a stream to its origin.

   Synonyms:

   foundation, root

   Antonyms:

   end, destination

2. rise or derivation from a particular source.

   the origin of a word.

3. the first stage of existence; beginning.

   the origin of Quakerism in America.

4. ancestry; parentage; extraction.

   to be of Scottish origin.

   Synonyms:

   descent, linage, birth

5. Anatomy.

   1. the point of derivation.

   2. the more fixed portion of a muscle.

6. Mathematics.

   1. the point in a Cartesian coordinate system where the axes intersect.

   2. Also called pole. the point from which rays designating specific angles originate and are measured from in a polar coordinate system with no axes.

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origin British  

/ ˈɒrɪdʒɪn /

noun

1. a primary source; derivation

2. the beginning of something; first stage or part

3. (often plural) ancestry or parentage; birth; extraction

4. anatomy

   1. the end of a muscle, opposite its point of insertion

   2. the beginning of a nerve or blood vessel or the site where it first starts to branch out

5. maths

   1. the point of intersection of coordinate axes or planes

   2. the point whose coordinates are all zero See also pole 2

6. commerce the country from which a commodity or product originates

   shipment from origin

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origin Scientific  

/ ôr′ə-jĭn /

1. The point at which the axes of a Cartesian coordinate system intersect. The coordinates of the origin are (0,0) in two dimensions and (0,0,0) in three dimensions.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• origins
  plural

Etymology

Origin of origin

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin orīgin-, stem of orīgō “beginning, source, lineage,” from or(īrī) “to rise” ( cf. orient) + -īgō, noun suffix

Explanation

An origin is a start. You could say that the origin of yoga was in India, since that's where the practice began, or that the origin of the strawberries in the market is Mexico, since they were grown there. If your best friend asks you about the origin of your fear of mariachi bands, it means that she wants to know where your phobia came from. Your ancestry is another kind of origin — you might mention your Eastern European origin if that's where your ancestors came from. The root, start, or birth of something is its origin. The origin of the word origin is the Latin word originem, meaning "rise, beginning, or source."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

origin origins

“The Eric André Show” began in 2012 and is the origin for a number of viral memes and sketches and unhinged celebrity moments.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026

The Irkutsk region governor, Igor Kobzev, said Monday that an inspection by Rospotrebnadzor found she died of pneumonia of "undetermined" origin.

From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026

But vendors require permits that show the origin of the animals.

From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026

However, we wondered if an idea originally proposed to solve another cosmic mystery — the origin of cosmic magnetic fields — could help us unlock the mystery of the Hubble tension.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 4, 2026

She never thought of her parents anymore, at all, unless it was through the lens of the hero’s origin she had created for herself.

From "Genuine Fraud" by E. Lockhart

"The Social Reckoning" serves as a sequel of sorts to 2010's "The Social Network," Sorkin's acclaimed film that chronicled Facebook's origins.

From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026

The pattern and timing of that light allow scientists to estimate the direction the neutrino came from — helping them trace its origins in the cosmos.

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026

The “Lanterns” showrunner remained coy when asked whether this lantern’s more ominous origins could lead to any unintended consequences for Stewart.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 5, 2026

Mystery surrounds the origins of Evans’s enigmatic art.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026

Of the many theories addressing the problem of state origins, the simplest denies that there is any problem to solve.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Related Words

• ancestor
• ancestry
• connection
• element
• influence
• motive
• provenance
• root
• source