1
as in source
a point or place at which something is invented or provided
the origins of human language remain a matter of considerable debate
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in root
the source from which something grows or develops
the origin of the tradition of giving presents at Christmastime
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in ancestry
the line of ancestors from whom a person is descended
they could trace their origins back 15 generations
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of origin
Until recently, testing an undocumented stone's origin required sending it to a lab and, in many cases, removing it from its setting.
—
Garth Friesen, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
There are fewer flashbacks in The Accountant 2, because we’ve already been regaled with the origin story of a special boy trained to be an unstoppable man.
—A.a. Dowd, Rolling Stone, 25 Apr. 2025
The origin of the fire, according to investigators, is near the Waretown address that Kling listed as his home.
—Jon Haworth, ABC News, 24 Apr. 2025
The mystery is three-dimensional: The humongous number of parameters obscuring what the model can do; the open data, internet data, on which the model is based (as opposed to in-house, clean data); and the source, the origin of the model’s development.
—Gil Press, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for origin
Garth Friesen, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
There are fewer flashbacks in The Accountant 2, because we’ve already been regaled with the origin story of a special boy trained to be an unstoppable man.
—A.a. Dowd, Rolling Stone, 25 Apr. 2025
The origin of the fire, according to investigators, is near the Waretown address that Kling listed as his home.
—Jon Haworth, ABC News, 24 Apr. 2025
The mystery is three-dimensional: The humongous number of parameters obscuring what the model can do; the open data, internet data, on which the model is based (as opposed to in-house, clean data); and the source, the origin of the model’s development.
—Gil Press, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for origin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for origin
Noun
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From dust and hair to greasy buildup and the occasional stain, fabric headboards can be a sneaky source of stale smells and dinginess.—
Jolie Kerr,
Better Homes & Gardens,
3 May 2025
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Axios initially reported on Saturday that the US, Israel and representatives of a new international foundation are close to an agreement on how to resume the delivery of aid, citing two anonymous Israeli and US sources The Israeli source who spoke to CNN would not say if a deal was imminent.—
Jennifer Hansler,
CNN Money,
3 May 2025
Noun
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The long tap root can be eaten raw in salads or boiled and eaten like parsnips.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
27 Apr. 2025
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But a personal encounter with veganism pulled her back to her culinary roots — this time with a mission.—
Sierra Knoch,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Apr. 2025
Noun
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And realizing that these women, this culture, this practice is actually a part of my ancestry, too.—
DeMicia Inman,
VIBE.com,
17 Apr. 2025
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The effort will require tracing the ancestry of remipedes and other crustaceans, as well as searching for insects in the fossil record—both from new fossil sites and perhaps miscategorized fossils already in collections.—
Riley Black,
Smithsonian Magazine,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Yet even in this cradle of endemic life, one region stands apart, both for its diversity and its age.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
28 Apr. 2025
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Scientists additionally found at least three planes aboard the ship, including a Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bomber with a bomb still secured in the release cradle.—
Erin Clack,
People.com,
26 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Finding new degrees of colorful suits, flowing capes, and animal print jumpsuits supported the show’s tone from the beginning, but has increasingly become part of the HBO series’s comedy in its own right.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
4 May 2025
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The latter two retained the absolutist moral vision that had characterized Western stances at the beginning of the war, clashing with the U.S.’s new position.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
3 May 2025
Noun
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Scientists urged conservation efforts to save the unique lineage.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
25 Apr. 2025
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After the Challenger accident in 1986, NASA launched most of its satellites on expendable rockets, like the Atlas, Delta, and Titan launch vehicles that traced their lineages to the 1950s.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
24 Apr. 2025
Noun
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So that’s a long way of explaining kind of the genesis of where this title came from.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
3 May 2025
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Other users also offered up tips, with suggestions to use Kérastase genesis line, topical minoxidil, Nutrafol, and a combination of rosemary oil, jojoba oil and castor oil.—
Charna Flam,
People.com,
2 May 2025
Noun
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Manning has the obvious pedigree and off-field intangibles; he’s also got ideal size, accuracy to layer the ball all around the field, decision-making ability, speed and running power.—
Jeff Howe,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2025
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And what’s interesting here is the extent to which the Eagles clearly believe their development staff at that position — famously led by Jeff Stoutland — can create starters, even stars, out of players without the elite pedigree.—
Howard Megdal,
Forbes.com,
28 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Origin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/origin. Accessed 9 May. 2025.
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