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Synonyms

originate

American  
[uh-rij-uh-neyt] / əˈrɪdʒ əˌneɪt /

verb (used without object)

originated, originating
  1. to take its origin or rise; begin; start; arise.

    The practice originated during the Middle Ages.

  2. (of a train, bus, or other public conveyance) to begin a scheduled run at a specified place.

    This train originates at Philadelphia.


verb (used with object)

originated, originating
  1. to give origin or rise to; initiate; invent.

    to originate a better method.

originate British  
/ əˈrɪdʒɪˌneɪt /

verb

  1. to come or bring into being

  2. (intr) (of a bus, train, etc) to begin its journey at a specified point

"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

Related Words

See discover.

Other Word Forms

  • originable adjective
  • origination noun
  • originator noun
  • self-originated adjective
  • self-originating adjective
  • self-origination noun

Etymology

Origin of originate

First recorded in 1645–55; probably back formation from origination (from French ), from Latin orīginātiō “etymology”; origin, -ate 1, ion

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 probe “originated from a referral sent by Kurt Olsen, Presidentially appointed Director Of Election Security and Integrity,” according to the affidavit in a Georgia federal court.

From The Wall Street Journal

"The FBI criminal investigation originated from a referral sent by Kurt Olsen, Presidentially appointed Director of Election Security and Integrity," it said.

From Barron's

These genes all originated from a single ancestral globin gene that existed around 800 million years ago.

From Science Daily

Others analyse isotopes to determine where a product likely originated.

From BBC

The research also highlights the growing role of naturalized tree species, meaning trees that originated elsewhere but now grow wild in new regions.

From Science Daily