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
The Wine Country actress, who performed on SNL for seven seasons from 1999 to 2006, recalled the origins of her profusely pessimistic character during an interview with her former castmate Amy Poehler on Good Hang.
—
Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Oct. 2025
The origins of the beat are unclear, but students likely started it, according to the district’s drumline instructor Jeremy Reyes, who helped lead the high school musicians in the video.
—Kayla Huynh, jsonline.com, 10 Oct. 2025
Dafri was born and raised in France to parents of Algerian origin.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2025
Their origin and purpose are yet to be conclusively established, but European leaders have linked their appearance to Moscow.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for origin
Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Oct. 2025
The origins of the beat are unclear, but students likely started it, according to the district’s drumline instructor Jeremy Reyes, who helped lead the high school musicians in the video.
—Kayla Huynh, jsonline.com, 10 Oct. 2025
Dafri was born and raised in France to parents of Algerian origin.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2025
Their origin and purpose are yet to be conclusively established, but European leaders have linked their appearance to Moscow.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for origin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for origin
Noun
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Two sources told Fortune that Amazon’s human resources division—known internally as PXT or the People eXperience Technology team—will be hard hit, but that other areas of Amazon’s core consumer business are also likely to be affected.—
Jason Del Rey,
Fortune,
15 Oct. 2025
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The results weren't perfect — for the third quarter in a row, Wells Fargo missed the consensus estimate for NII, a crucial revenue source for traditional banks.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Although his own roots are Baptist, the North Little Rock native is no stranger to the Methodist hymnal.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Oct. 2025
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That legacy hasn’t faded, but the region feels freshly alive these days as chefs, artists, and creative entrepreneurs put down roots.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Oct. 2025
Noun
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His curiosity is mirrored by that of Lewis Moon, a free-spirited drifter with both Cheyenne and Choctaw ancestry, who has been contracted by the government to drop bombs on the Niaruna, in an effort to scatter the tribe.—
Maggie Doherty,
New Yorker,
13 Oct. 2025
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Nelson's possibly offhand claims to Cherokee ancestry, nevertheless, have been repeated in biographies without verification.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The town is also the cradle of the popular Mexican Tecate beer and boasts remarkable natural landscapes.—
Paula Soria,
AZCentral.com,
9 Oct. 2025
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As is typical for Vionic shoes, these cradle your arches, provide cushion for every step, and keep your feet stable throughout the day.—
Gabriela Garcia,
PEOPLE,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
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After drawing 1-1 with Manchester United at the beginning of the month, dropping points for the first time in the Women’s Super League (WSL) this season, Chelsea needed a penalty to equalise and finish with the same result away against FC Twente of the Vrouwen Eredivisie.—
Cerys Jones,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
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Less than a month later, Skaggs died alone in a hotel room in Southlake, Texas, at the beginning of an Angels road trip of what was later determined to be a lethal combination of fentanyl, oxycodone and alcohol.—
Sean Emery,
Oc Register,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Together, these laureates represent a powerful lineage of women who have risked personal freedom to advance civil liberties and promote democratic reform worldwide.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
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The various lineages of Ursuța’s work are unmistakable.—
Jerry Saltz,
Vulture,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Elizabeth Superintendent Dan Snowberger declined a telephone interview with Chalkbeat, but wrote in a text that the district’s finances are sound and that the lawsuit’s genesis is what’s unusual about the situation.—
Ann Schimke,
Denver Post,
16 Oct. 2025
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Preliminary evidence also hints that the environment of the womb may contribute to the genesis of type 1 diabetes in the fetus.—
Lauren J. Young,
Scientific American,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The film looks like a million bucks, has a high pedigree of talent, and mistakes constant poking for conversation, endless buzzwords for a buffet of food for thought, incendiary hypotheticals for insight.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
9 Oct. 2025
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The franchise looks to integrate its future, Flagg, with championship-pedigree veterans like Irving and Davis in hopes of hoisting its first Larry O’Brien Trophy since 2011.—
Aaron Tolentino,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Origin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/origin. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.
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