origin

noun

or·i·gin ˈȯr-ə-jən

ˈär-

Synonyms of origin next

: ancestry, parentage

was of humble origin

She is of French origin.

: rise, beginning, or derivation from a source

the origin of life on Earth

The word "algebra" is of Arabic origin.

: the point at which something begins or rises or from which it derives

the origin of the custom

also : something that creates, causes, or gives rise to another

a spring is the origin of the brook

: the more fixed, central, or larger attachment of a muscle

: the intersection of coordinate axes

Choose the Right Synonym for origin

origin, source, inception, root mean the point at which something begins its course or existence.

origin applies to the things or persons from which something is ultimately derived and often to the causes operating before the thing itself comes into being.

an investigation into the origin of baseball

source applies more often to the point where something springs into being.

the source of the Nile

the source of recurrent trouble

inception stresses the beginning of something without implying causes.

the business has been a success since its inception

root suggests a first, ultimate, or fundamental source often not easily discerned.

the real root of the violence

Examples of origin in a Sentence

Her ethnic origins are French. the origins of human language remain a matter of considerable debate

Recent Examples on the Web This is a chance to see the birth of sports announcers, the first domestication of canines, the various ways that vases were the tabloids of their time and, through one of Hippocampus’ investigations, the origins of criminal forensics. —

Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Sep. 2023 According to tradition and lore, the origins of Yom Kippur can be traced to Moses’ leading the ancient Israelites out of slavery, as described in the book of Exodus. —

Sofia Barrett, CNN, 24 Sep. 2023 While East Germany was a product of Germany’s postwar occupation, its roots stretch back to the origins of socialism. —

Samuel Clowes Huneke, The New Republic, 22 Sep. 2023 Samples from this more than 4.5 billion-year-old asteroid are likely to provide clues to the origin of life itself. —

Popular Science, 20 Sep. 2023 House Republicans have put pressure on HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra to respond to congressional inquiries into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. —

Gabrielle M. Etzel, Washington Examiner, 20 Sep. 2023 Geologists have long puzzled over the mysterious origins of this prolific jewel-producing site. —

Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Sep. 2023 Its size and comprehensiveness allow comparisons among immigrants of different national origins and among varied locations in the U.S. that were previously unavailable. —

Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2023 Participants could not vote more than once online using their email address, as TIFF measured the origin of each vote and matched them to the festival’s ticket-buyer information and database. —

Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'origin.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.