originate

verb

orig·i·nate | \ ə-ˈri-jə-ˌnāt

originated; originating

Definition of originate

transitive verb

: to give rise to : initiate The composer originated 10 songs for the Broadway musical.

intransitive verb

: to take or have origin : begin That board game originated in the 1940s.

Other Words from originate Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about originate

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Other Words from originate

origination \ ə-ˌri-jə-ˈnā-shən

\ noun

originator \ ə-ˈri-jə-ˌnā-tər

\ noun

Choose the Right Synonym for originate

spring, arise, rise, originate, derive, flow, issue, emanate, proceed, stem mean to come up or out of something into existence. spring implies rapid or sudden emerging. an idea that springs to mind arise and rise may both convey the fact of coming into existence or notice but rise often stresses gradual growth or ascent. new questions have arisen slowly rose to prominence originate implies a definite source or starting point. the fire originated in the basement derive implies a prior existence in another form. the holiday derives from an ancient Roman feast flow adds to spring a suggestion of abundance or ease of inception. words flowed easily from her pen issue suggests emerging from confinement through an outlet. blood issued from the cut emanate applies to the coming of something immaterial (such as a thought) from a source. reports emanating from the capital proceed stresses place of origin, derivation, parentage, or logical cause. advice that proceeds from the best of intentions stem implies originating by dividing or branching off from something as an outgrowth or subordinate development. industries stemming from space research

Examples of originate in a Sentence

These stories originated during earlier times. The book originated as a series of lectures. The sound seemed to originate from outside the room. The custom is believed to have originated in the western U.S. He did not originate the idea. The policy was originated by the previous administration.

Recent Examples on the Web

With a slew of awards under their collective belt, the legendary pair worked together to originate some of the most famous Broadway shows and films of their era. — Lauren Hubbard, Town & Country, "The True Story of Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon's Relationship," 17 Apr. 2019 Domestic box office gross: N/A Liam Neeson originated the role of Darkman in a 1990 film directed by fright-movie master Sam Raimi. — Charles Stockdale And John Harrington, USA TODAY, "The 24 most forgettable superheroes in movies," 5 July 2018 Financial technology, or fintech, companies originated 36% of total personal loans in 2017 compared with less than 1% in 2010, Chicago-based TransUnion said. — Hannah Levitt, latimes.com, "Personal loans surge to a record high," 3 July 2018 Others are outright falsehoods, possibly originating as pranks played on unsuspecting underclassmen. — Rachel Leingang, azcentral, "Rooftop pools? Haunted buildings? 8 Arizona university myths debunked, confirmed," 20 June 2018 Having everything from processors, underwriters, management staff – those involved in everything from originating a mortgage loan to closing it – work together under the same roof is invaluable. — Michael Schroeder, Indianapolis Star, "Top Workplaces 2018: Bailey and Wood Financial Group," 10 June 2018 The archetypal image of a baseball umpire originated in Norman Rockwell’s 1948 painting Tough Call, which depicts three signal-callers looking skyward as rain starts to fall during a game. — Jared Diamond, WSJ, "The Average Umpire Is Almost 50. The Best Ones Might Be in Their 30s.," 16 Apr. 2019 People use around 77 billion gallons of groundwater every day, nearly all of it originating in bodies of permeable rock known as aquifers. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "Climate Change Could Turn Earth's Aquifers Into a Time Bomb," 22 Jan. 2019 The practice, which originated in India around 2700 B.C.E., continues to grow in popularity in the U.S., ranking #7 on the American College of Sports Medicine’s recent 2019 fitness trend predictions. — Jenny Mccoy, SELF, "New to Yoga? 12 Things to Know Before Taking Your First Class," 4 Jan. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'originate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near originate

Statistics for originate

Last Updated

11 May 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for originate

The first known use of originate was in 1668

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More Definitions for originate

originate

verb

English Language Learners Definition of originate

: to begin to exist : to be produced or created

: to cause (something) to exist : to produce or create (something)

See the full definition for originate in the English Language Learners Dictionary

originate

verb

orig·i·nate | \ ə-ˈri-jə-ˌnāt

originated; originating

Kids Definition of originate

1 : to bring into being : invent, initiate I had lots of time to cook … and I must say I originated some excellent meals.— Jean Craighead George, My Side of the Mountain

2 : to come into being The custom originated in ancient times.

originate

verb

orig·i·nate | \ ə-ˈri-jə-ˌnāt

originated; originating

Legal Definition of originate

transitive verb

: to give rise to specifically : to issue (a mortgage loan) usually for subsequent sale in a pool of mortgage loans to a secondary market — compare service

intransitive verb

: to take or have origin

Other Words from originate

origination \ ə-ˌri-jə-ˈnā-shən

\ noun

originator \ ə-ˈri-jə-ˌnā-tər

\ noun

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