Synonym Chooser

How is the word origin distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of origin are inception, root, and source. While all these words 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

In what contexts can inception take the place of origin?

Although the words inception and origin have much in common, inception stresses the beginning of something without implying causes.

the business has been a success since its inception

When might root be a better fit than origin?

While in some cases nearly identical to origin, root suggests a first, ultimate, or fundamental source often not easily discerned.

the real root of the violence

When is source a more appropriate choice than origin?

The meanings of source and origin largely overlap; however, source applies more often to the point where something springs into being.

the source of the Nile
the source of recurrent trouble

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of origin High in the hills of Panama, Finca Lérida highlights the origins of the world-famous gesha (or, geisha) coffee and over one hundred years of history. Carley Rojas Ávila, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025 On her mother’s podcast, Lola Consuelos opened up about the origin of her relationship with Kidston. Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 26 June 2025 Despite their vitriol, the Tribune’ editorials accurately reflect the Korean War’s origins in World War II. Ron Grossman, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2025 Cannabinoid science is overdue for a new taxonomy, one that recognizes these compounds as classes, not single chemicals, with CBG perhaps not as a minor member but as a category-defining origin point. Jahan Marcu, Rolling Stone, 24 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for origin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for origin
Noun
  • The Yacht Venetian sources say the wedding flotilla would consist of three vessels including the Koru, one of the largest sailing boats in the world at 417 feet — which is too large for the canals, so it will be anchored in the Venice lagoon.
    Beth Landman, HollywoodReporter, 21 June 2025
  • They are linked to a single source, the county health department said June 9.
    DEVI SHASTRI, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2025
Noun
  • The billion-dollar tourist attraction with south Texas roots has been inching north into other states and is on track to start building a new location off Village West Parkway in KCK this year.
    Sofi Zeman, Kansas City Star, 26 June 2025
  • With restaurants and humanitarian missions around the world, Chef José Andrés is globally renowned but always returns to his birthplace, Asturias, to reconnect with his roots.
    Rana Good, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
Noun
  • Although ancient American ancestry in modern dogs has mostly vanished, there is at least one breed that still carries the native legacy from thousands of years ago: Chihuahuas.
    Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 18 June 2025
  • In one Tulsa, Oklahoma classroom, 74-year-old Sharon Mitchell is discovering ancient Egypt, feeling the pride of her ancestry.
    Kristal Brent Zook, Essence, 16 June 2025
Noun
  • There’s also a separate accessory cradle to hold the combination and crevice tools, pet tool, flexible tool, and dust bags.
    Terri Williams, Architectural Digest, 25 Apr. 2025
  • The president was undeterred, and the flights resumed the very next day, filled with cardboard file boxes that had been repurposed into makeshift cradles.
    Jim Axelrod June 9, CBS News, 9 June 2025
Noun
  • Where To Spend, Who To Support From its humble beginnings to becoming a worldwide celebration, Pride has always been political.
    Brett F. Braley-Palko, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
  • After missing four games due to a concussion and an illness at the beginning of June, Bueckers has been on a tear.
    Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 23 June 2025
Noun
  • The Pitfall Of Poor Data Lineage Without robust data lineage and understanding how data is created, modified and moved, security teams are hampered during breaches.
    Somnath Banerjee, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025
  • Khomeini, who is more of a reformist and is allied with a faction that is in favor of easing social and political restrictions in Iran, garners respect because of his lineage, according to Reuters.
    Greg Norman, FOXNews.com, 23 June 2025
Noun
  • Two decades later, it’s become the genesis of Payton’s offseason philosophy, from New Orleans to Denver.
    Luca Evans, Denver Post, 12 June 2025
  • Seventeen years after Plowshare’s genesis, Rio Blanco marked the very last underground detonation.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 June 2025
Noun
  • The interest from those schools, which had more golf pedigree?
    Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 27 June 2025
  • Beck, who arrived after two years as Georgia’s starting quarterback, has a winning pedigree.
    Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 25 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Origin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/origin. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.

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