origin story

American  

[awr-i-jin stawr-ee, or-i-jin] / ˈɔr ɪ dʒɪn ˌstɔr i, ˈɒr ɪ dʒɪn /

noun

1. a backstory, or established background narrative, that informs the identity and motivations of heroes and villains in a comic book or similar fictional work.

   The superhero’s origin story begins with a tragic accident that left him scarred, but also resulted in his supernatural powers.

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Etymology

Origin of origin story

First recorded in 1910–15

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

origin story

Prequel E-Day takes players back to where it all started, telling the origin story of humanity's conflict with The Locust - the series' horrifying enemy species.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026

Along with being an origin story and an alien hunt unfurling in a 2016-set timeline, “Lanterns” grounds itself in a murder mystery that defines its 2026 plot running in parallel.

From Salon ● Oct. 5, 2026

Indeed, Walker’s Bitcoin origin story hewed closely to a common template in the Bitcoin community.

From Slate ● Sep. 20, 2026

Kelly dished on the origin story of the MTV reality show that made her, her mother Sharon Osbourne and younger brother Jack Osbourne household names.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026

Particular places might hold spiritual or religious significance for any Indigenous nation, such as a place mentioned in an origin story or where ancestors are buried.

From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

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