origin

American  

[awr-i-jin, or-] / ˈɔr ɪ dʒɪn, ˈɒr- /

noun

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.

---

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

---

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.

---

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” ( orient ) + -īgō, noun suffix

Example Sentences

He now runs a form of guided meditation involving "ancient sounds that are the origin of the universe and help to bring inner peace and tranquillity", according to his website.

From BBC

But they’ve been sequestered for so long that their origins have been obscured, allowing the public to rediscover them anew.

From Los Angeles Times

The furry creatures, best described as a cross between a horse and a sheep, have become an increasingly regular feature of the UK landscape despite their South American origins.

From BBC

The origins of the naan are murky but many food historians believe that the flatbread originated in ancient Persia, since it derives its name from the the Persian word for bread.

From BBC

"By identifying this previously underappreciated mechanism, this work establishes a direct link between material composition and degradation pathways, providing deeper insight into the origins of performance decay in these materials."

From Science Daily

Related Words

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