originate

verb orig·i·nate \ ə-ˈri-jə-ˌnāt \

Updated on: 25 May 2018

Definition of originate

originated; originating

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.

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origination

play \ə-ˌri-jə-ˈnā-shən\ noun

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originator

play \ə-ˈri-jə-ˌnā-tər\ noun

See originate defined for English-language learners

See originate defined for kids

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 of originate from the Web

Having originated before commercial airline travel, it couldn't be blamed, really.

— domenica bongiovanni, Indianapolis Star, "Don't miss your flight looking at this cool vintage luggage at the Indianapolis Airport," 22 May 2018
New Jersey, the state originating the case, will be the first state to legalize sports gambling, Richard Wolf reports.

— a.j. perez, USA TODAY, "High cost of launching sports betting in certain states could keep companies away," 17 May 2018
The United States is demanding that a percentage of a car's content originate in a country — the United States or Canada — with average auto worker wages of around $15 an hour to qualify for NAFTA's duty-free status.

— CBS News, "Time running out on NAFTA, as U.S. grapples with China over trade," 17 May 2018
The researchers said more study is needed to understand how the plastic and other waste gets from land — where most of the garbage is suspected to originate — into the deep.

— NBC News, "Even the ocean's deepest reaches are not safe from plastic trash," 16 May 2018
In Taiwan the dish is a matter of national pride (when the 2011 Michelin Guide suggested that the dish originated in Shandong Province, Taipei’s mayor held a press conference, demanded a reprint, and handed out 1,000 free bowls in the street).

— gillian ferguson, Los Angeles Magazine, "How Chef Jon Yao’s Family Recipes Influence His Refined Take on Taiwanese," 15 May 2018
But as Hannah Devlin reports for the Guardian, a new study has put forth compelling evidence to suggest that leprosy may have originated in Europe.

— brigit katz, Smithsonian, "Did Leprosy Originate in Europe?," 14 May 2018
But the water could originate elsewhere, Jia cautioned.

— sarah kaplan, courant.com, "Scientists discover new evidence for plumes on Europa, a target in the search for life," 14 May 2018
That is a bitter irony given that the crisis originated within the financial sector, bringing to mind a teenager who crashes their parents’ car and leaves them with the bill.

— The Economist, "Lessons to a columnist’s previous self," 12 May 2018

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.

First Known Use of originate

1668

in the meaning defined at transitive sense

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

originate Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of 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

ORIGINATE Defined for English Language Learners

originate

verb

Definition of originate for English Language Learners

: to begin to exist : to be produced or created
: to cause (something) to exist : to produce or create (something)

ORIGINATE Defined for Kids

originate

verb orig·i·nate \ ə-ˈri-jə-ˌnāt \

Definition of originate for Students

originated; originating

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.

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originator

\-ˌnā-tər\ noun

Law Dictionary

originate

verb orig·i·nate \ ə-ˈri-jə-ˌnāt \

legal Definition of originate

originated; originating

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

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