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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.

The goal for “Wishbone” was to make these stories accessible for children, paying homage to the source material, while aiming to instill young viewers with the interest to pick up the books themselves.

From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2026

In many cases, critics frame objections around “historical accuracy” or fidelity to source material, while supporters argue mythology and fiction have always evolved through reinterpretation and artistic adaptation.

From Salon • May 16, 2026

He had spent years trying to tell biblical stories at the scale portrayed in the source material.

From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026

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

This was primary source material, research papers based on direct experimental data, involved theoretical constructions utilizing a complex vocabulary and containing a wealth of original ideas—and he was breaking his head on it.

From "The Chosen" by Chaim Potok

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