originally
adverb
orig·i·nal·ly
ə-ˈri-jə-nᵊl-ē 
-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
The show originally aired in 2009 and concluded in 2015.
—
Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 9 Feb. 2026
This article was originally published by Mirror Indy and is republished through our partnership with Free Press Indiana.
—Claire Rafford, IndyStar, 9 Feb. 2026
Lawsuit says child was hospitalized with respiratory issues Amalia's parents, originally from Venezuela, have lived in the United States since 2024 with their daughter, who is a Mexican citizen, according to the lawsuit.
—Jack Queen, USA Today, 8 Feb. 2026
The temple was originally made of wood, though little of it survived.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 8 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for originally
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.
Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 9 Feb. 2026
This article was originally published by Mirror Indy and is republished through our partnership with Free Press Indiana.
—Claire Rafford, IndyStar, 9 Feb. 2026
Lawsuit says child was hospitalized with respiratory issues Amalia's parents, originally from Venezuela, have lived in the United States since 2024 with their daughter, who is a Mexican citizen, according to the lawsuit.
—Jack Queen, USA Today, 8 Feb. 2026
The temple was originally made of wood, though little of it survived.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 8 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for originally
Cite this Entry
“Originally.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/originally. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
originally
adverb
orig·i·nal·ly
ə-ˈrij-ən-ᵊl-ē
-nəl-ē
1
: in the beginning : in the first place
2
: in an original manner
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
