originally

adverb

orig·​i·​nal·​ly ə-ˈri-jə-nᵊl-ē How to pronounce originally (audio)
-ˈrij-nə-lē,
-ˈri-jən-
1
archaic : by origin or derivation : inherently
2
: in the beginning : in the first place : initially
3
: in a fresh or original manner

Examples of originally in a Sentence

That van originally belonged to us. The building was originally a school. They originally planned to fix their old car, but they decided to buy a new one instead. Originally, the word had a very different meaning from its current meaning. a New Yorker who is originally from Mexico She has shown an ability to think originally about ways to improve the company.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The producers, who originally found Ozark creator Bill Dubuque through a cold query, will launch their worldwide talent search through Stage 32’s platform, featuring over 1.3 million members. Matt Grobar, Deadline, 28 July 2025 Considering this was originally streamed on Netflix, having Nocturne’s first season available on Blu-ray only helps to show just how good the animation for this series really is. Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025 Your living room also needs the 54-inch Newport Rectangular Coffee Table, which originally cost $999, and has divided storage sections for decor, books, and other display items. Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 July 2025 Computer researchers invented the technique in the 1990s to screen bots from entering information into websites, originally using images with letters and numbers written in wiggly fonts, often obscured with lines or noise to foil computer vision algorithms. ArsTechnica, 28 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for originally

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of originally was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Originally.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/originally. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

originally

adverb
orig·​i·​nal·​ly ə-ˈrij-ən-ᵊl-ē How to pronounce originally (audio)
-nəl-ē
1
: in the beginning : in the first place
2
: in an original manner

More from Merriam-Webster on originally

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!