Original
əˈrɪdʒənəl
Definitions
3 meaningsMade or existing from the beginning; first; not copied or derived.
əˈrɪdʒənəl
Not copied or derived from something else.
This is the original recipe.
💡 Simply: Like the first version of something, not a copy! Imagine you draw a picture; that first drawing is the original.
👶 For kids: The first one of something.
More Examples
The original draft of the document was much longer.
He showed me the original blueprints of the house.
How It's Used
"The museum displayed the original painting by Van Gogh."
"The author presented the original manuscript of her novel."
Resulting from creative thought; new and inventive.
əˈrɪdʒənəl
Innovative or creative.
She has an original approach to problem-solving.
💡 Simply: When something is new, interesting, and comes from your own imagination. Like a new idea for a game!
👶 For kids: Something made up by you.
More Examples
The band's original music is very popular.
His original thinking led to important discoveries.
How It's Used
"The company is looking for original ideas for marketing campaigns."
"Her research presented an original theory on the matter."
A thing or person serving as a model or basis for others; the first of its kind.
əˈrɪdʒənəl
The first or initial version of something.
I need to see the original of this contract.
💡 Simply: The very first one. Like the first copy of a book or the first drawing you make.
👶 For kids: The very first thing.
More Examples
This is not a copy; it's the original.
The museum displays the original painting by the artist.
How It's Used
"The historian examined the original of the letter."
"The court required the original documents as evidence."
Synonyms
Authentic
First
Genuine
Initial
New
Creative
Imaginative
Innovative
Inventive
Novel
Masterpiece
Idioms & expressions
the original sin
In Christian theology, the sin of Adam and Eve, the source of humanity's fallen state.
"The concept of the original sin has greatly influenced Western thought."
original intent
The meaning intended by the authors or framers of a legal document, such as a constitution or a statute.
"Judges often debate the original intent of the Constitution when interpreting laws."
From Latin *originālis* ('belonging to the beginning, first'), derived from *orīgō* ('beginning, origin'). It entered English in the 14th century.
The word 'original' has been used in English since the 14th century, initially to describe something that existed from the beginning or had a source.
Memory tip
Think of the first idea, the starting point, not a copy.