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
There is, of course, the ever-tightening constraints of the international publishing market that limit the reach of any book not either a) originally published in English or b) published in a country with the money to ensure its translation and distribution into English.
—
Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
Cloud cover originally prevented rescuers from reaching him, in addition to wind and snow as the elevation climbed to 4,100 feet.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 17 May 2026
Produced alongside Benjamin Domenech, the project was originally developed as an Argentine production before the political crisis and economic turmoil in Argentina forced the team to rethink the film.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 17 May 2026
The notebook, though originally intended as a one-semester gift, quickly took on a life of its own.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 17 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for originally
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Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
Cloud cover originally prevented rescuers from reaching him, in addition to wind and snow as the elevation climbed to 4,100 feet.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 17 May 2026
Produced alongside Benjamin Domenech, the project was originally developed as an Argentine production before the political crisis and economic turmoil in Argentina forced the team to rethink the film.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 17 May 2026
The notebook, though originally intended as a one-semester gift, quickly took on a life of its own.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 17 May 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 21 May. 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
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