2
a
: rise, beginning, or derivation from a source
the origin of life on earth
The word "algebra" is of Arabic origin.
b
: the point at which something begins or rises or from which it derives
the origin of the custom
a game of recent origin
also
: something that creates, causes, or gives rise to another
a spring is the origin of the brook
3
: the more fixed, central, or larger attachment of a muscle
4
: the intersection of coordinate axes
Examples of origin in a Sentence
Her ethnic origins are French.
the origins of human language remain a matter of considerable debate
Recent Examples on the Web
There's no single definitive origin story for the Mardi Gras Indians, but historians have found references to the tradition dating back to the mid-1800s.
—
Bill Whitaker, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2026
The film’s script plays all the hits, densely packed with visual references, audio cues, and locations from Mario’s full history — and even brings back the brothers’ Brooklyn origins.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 5 Apr. 2026
It has been observed turning off its automatic tracking system, a step that hides a vessel's location, and engaging in a ship-to-ship transfer, which can be a way to disguise the origins of an oil cargo.
—ABC News, 5 Apr. 2026
Major redesigns arrived in 2004, 2010, 2016 and most recently in 2023, each iteration pushing the Prius further away from its quirky origins.
—Sponsored Content, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for origin
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.
Bill Whitaker, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2026
The film’s script plays all the hits, densely packed with visual references, audio cues, and locations from Mario’s full history — and even brings back the brothers’ Brooklyn origins.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 5 Apr. 2026
It has been observed turning off its automatic tracking system, a step that hides a vessel's location, and engaging in a ship-to-ship transfer, which can be a way to disguise the origins of an oil cargo.
—ABC News, 5 Apr. 2026
Major redesigns arrived in 2004, 2010, 2016 and most recently in 2023, each iteration pushing the Prius further away from its quirky origins.
—Sponsored Content, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for origin
Cite this Entry
“Origin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/origin. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
origin
noun
or·i·gin
ˈȯr-ə-jən 
ˈär-
2
a
: a rising, beginning, or coming from a source
b
: basic source or cause
3
: the intersection of the x-axis and y-axis on a graph
Medical Definition
origin
noun
or·i·gin
ˈȯr-ə-jən, ˈär-
1
: the point at which something begins or rises or from which it derives
2
: the more fixed, central, or larger attachment of a muscle compare insertion sense 1
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
