originate
verb
orig·i·nate
ə-ˈri-jə-ˌnāt 
originated; originating
: to give rise to : initiate
The composer originated 10 songs for the Broadway musical.
Examples of originate in a Sentence
These stories originated during earlier times.
The book originated as a series of lectures.
The sound seemed to originate from outside the room.
The custom is believed to have originated in the western U.S.
He did not originate the idea.
The policy was originated by the previous administration.
Recent Examples on the Web
Looking farther into the future, the low-rate mortgages originated in the early 2020s will last for decades, causing low mobility.
—
Bill Conerly, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
The tradition of receiving ashes originates from biblical times when wearing sackcloth and ashes symbolized repentance.
—Russel Honoré, Newsweek, 5 Mar. 2025
In 2017, Perry was cast as Mary Cooper on Young Sheldon, a role originated by Metcalf during a 2007 episode of Big Bang.
—Ryan Schwartz, TVLine, 5 Mar. 2025
The team then eliminated the possibility that the X-ray signal may have originated from a small companion star destroyed by the white dwarf rather than a planet.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 5 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for originate
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 Conerly, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
The tradition of receiving ashes originates from biblical times when wearing sackcloth and ashes symbolized repentance.
—Russel Honoré, Newsweek, 5 Mar. 2025
In 2017, Perry was cast as Mary Cooper on Young Sheldon, a role originated by Metcalf during a 2007 episode of Big Bang.
—Ryan Schwartz, TVLine, 5 Mar. 2025
The team then eliminated the possibility that the X-ray signal may have originated from a small companion star destroyed by the white dwarf rather than a planet.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 5 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for originate
Cite this Entry
“Originate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/originate. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Legal Definition
originate
verb
orig·i·nate
ə-ˈri-jə-ˌnāt
originated; originating
: to give rise to
specifically
: to issue (a mortgage loan) usually for subsequent sale in a pool of mortgage loans to a secondary market compare service
: to take or have origin
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share