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Synonyms

originally

American  
[uh-rij-uh-nl-ee] / əˈrɪdʒ ə nl i /

adverb

  1. with respect to origin; by origin.

    Originally he came from California.

  2. at the beginning; at first.

    Originally this was to be in three volumes.

  3. in the first place; primarily.

    Originally nomads, they first learned agriculture from the missionaries.

  4. in an original, novel, or distinctively individual manner.

    Originally planned houses are much in demand.

  5. Archaic. from the beginning; from the first; inherently.


originally British  
/ əˈrɪdʒɪnəlɪ /

adverb

  1. in the first place

  2. in an original way

  3. with reference to the origin or beginning

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of originally

First recorded in 1480–90; original + -ly

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.

The bike had originally been used by Carrie for her daughter Erin, who then outgrew it and got her own bike.

From BBC

While the new tariff rate appeared to be a win for many Asian countries that had originally been hit with higher levies, significant uncertainties remain, analysts have told the BBC.

From BBC

In it, a French geologist mentioned a single sabre shaped fossil tooth resembling those of the massive predator Carcharodontosaurus, originally found in Egypt's Western Desert in the early 1900s.

From Science Daily

A spokesperson for the national park authority said it had originally scheduled repairs in the 2024/25 financial year.

From BBC

“It was 40% more expensive than when we originally quoted the project,” Goodman said.

From The Wall Street Journal