original

American  

[uh-rij-uh-nl] / əˈrɪdʒ ə nl /

adjective

1. belonging or pertaining to the origin or beginning of something, or to a thing at its beginning.

   The book still has its original binding.

   Synonyms:

   primitive, primeval, primordial, primary

2. new; fresh; inventive; novel.

   an original way of advertising.

3. arising or proceeding independently of anything else.

   an original view of history.

4. capable of or given to thinking or acting in an independent, creative, or individual manner.

   an original thinker.

5. created, undertaken, or presented for the first time.

   to give the original performance of a string quartet.

6. being something from which a copy, a translation, or the like is made.

   The original document is in Washington.

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noun

• originals
  plural

1. a primary form or type from which varieties are derived.

   Synonyms:

   model, prototype, pattern, archetype

   Antonyms:

   copy

2. an original work, writing, or the like, as opposed to any copy or imitation.

   The original of this is in the British Museum.

3. the person or thing represented by a picture, description, etc..

   The original is said to have been the painter's own house.

4. a person whose ways of thinking or acting are original.

   In a field of brilliant technicians he is a true original.

5. Archaic. an eccentric person.

6. Archaic. a source of being; an author or originator.

original British  

/ əˈrɪdʒɪnəl /

adjective

1. of or relating to an origin or beginning

2. fresh and unusual; novel

3. able to think of or carry out new ideas or concepts

4. being that from which a copy, translation, etc, is made

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noun

1. the first and genuine form of something, from which others are derived

2. a person or thing used as a model in art or literature

3. a person whose way of thinking is unusual or creative

4. an unconventional or strange person

5. the first form or occurrence of something

6. an archaic word for originator See originator

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonoriginal
  adjective
• preoriginal
  adjective
• quasi-original
  adjective
• unoriginal
  adjective
• nonoriginally
  adverb
• preoriginally
  adverb
• quasi-originally
  adverb
• unoriginally
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• originals
  plural

Etymology

Origin of original

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Latin orīginālis (adjective) and Medieval Latin orīgināle “original document” (noun use of neuter adjective), equivalent to orīgin- “beginning, source” + -ālis adjective suffix; see origin, -al ¹

Explanation

When you buy a car from its original owner, you know it's only been owned by one person. Original means "the very first." Original comes from the Latin word originem, which means "beginning or birth." Whether you're using it as an adjective to describe something that is literally the very first, or as a noun meaning something that serves as a model for making copies, original means "first." Even when you describe an original idea, meaning "something fresh or unusual," you're talking about the first idea of its kind.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

original originals

The account, whose posts mostly lacked original substance, "only gained popularity because its dubious, sordid content was narrated by the attractive voice of a popular actor," Tsuda's legal team said, according to the court records.

From Barron's ● Sep. 27, 2026

Rather than ending with one separated pair, the original connection breaks and new particle pairs form.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 26, 2026

We, the audience, are the final piece of the puzzle, the culpable players who not only ate up the original “To Catch a Predator,” but all the media and memes that spun off it.

From Salon ● Sep. 26, 2026

The bout, which Walton accepted at less than two weeks' notice after Cejudo's original opponent withdrew, has been sanctioned by the Florida State Commission and will count towards their professional records.

From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026

Her new body was stronger and tougher and faster than the original.

From "The Wild Robot Protects" by Peter Brown

Axel Scheffler said AI pictures are "a breach of copyright" and lose their charm when compared to the hand-drawn originals.

From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026

Blue Note Records released her breakthrough solo LP, 1993’s “Blue Light ‘Til Dawn,” a mix of originals and covers of work by blues pioneer Robert Johnson and folk singers Van Morrison and Joni Mitchell.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026

“Don’t Say Good Luck” is predictable but undeniably sweet, aided by a star-making turn by Sandler, who’s already miles past her father in terms of quality Netflix originals.

From Salon ● Sep. 2, 2026

Disney has had a number of hugely successful live-action remakes that came out decades after the originals, including “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Lion King,” and last year’s “Lilo & Stitch.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026

Like the books confiscated from foreign ships, the originals stayed in the library, and the former owners had to be content with a handsome set of copies.

From "Circumference" by Nicholas Nicastro

Related Words

• creative
• imaginative
• innovative
• inventive
• seminal
• unconventional
• unusual