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source material

American  

noun

  1. original, authoritative, or basic materials utilized in research, as diaries or manuscripts.


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.

There’s no possibility, however, that the Nintendo source material will leave your mind during 2023’s animated smash “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” or its sequel, “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

The idea was to compose a show that even those who weren’t “Monty Python” fans would enjoy, with hints of romance and sincerity absent from the source material.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 23, 2026

That's one of the biggest gaps between source material and film adaptation in the history of the best picture category.

From BBC • Mar. 12, 2026

Tracy said he wanted to respect the source material, but without feeling constricted by it.

From Barron's • Mar. 1, 2026

Pulcinella is sparklingly inventive with its source material but it is nevertheless the musical equivalent of placing the Art Deco spire of Manhattan's Chrysler Building on top of Christopher Wren's Greenwich Hospital.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall