originally

adverb

orig·​i·​nal·​ly ə-ˈri-jə-nᵊl-ē 

-ˈrij-nə-lē,

-ˈri-jən-

1

archaic : by origin or derivation : inherently

2

: in the beginning : in the first place : initially

3

: in a fresh or original manner

Synonyms

• firstly
• initially
• primarily

Examples of originally in a Sentence

That van originally belonged to us.

The building was originally a school.

They originally planned to fix their old car, but they decided to buy a new one instead.

Originally, the word had a very different meaning from its current meaning.

a New Yorker who is originally from Mexico

She has shown an ability to think originally about ways to improve the company.

Recent Examples on the Web

Crocs Classic Crush Unisex Sandal, $38 (originally $50) Chaco Classic Leather Flip Men's Sandal, $46 (originally $75) Vionic Women’s Activate Thongs Crocs Classic Crush Unisex Sandal Love a great deal? —Anne Taylor, Travel + Leisure, 21 July 2024

The two originally met in 2015, though Benton admittedly didn't know March from her days on SVU. —Alex Ross, Peoplemag, 21 July 2024

This story was originally published July 20, 2024, 11:00 AM. —Courtney Devores, Charlotte Observer, 20 July 2024

Barron Trump, 18, originally was announced as a delegate for his father from Florida but that was canceled, sparking speculation that his mother objected. —Zac Anderson, USA TODAY, 20 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

originally

adverb

orig·​i·​nal·​ly ə-ˈrij-ən-ᵊl-ē 

-nəl-ē

1

: in the beginning : in the first place

2

: in an original manner