origin

noun

ˈȯr-ə-jən How to pronounce origin (audio)
Definition of originnext
1
as in source
a point or place at which something is invented or provided the origins of human language remain a matter of considerable debate

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in root
the source from which something grows or develops the origin of the tradition of giving presents at Christmastime

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in ancestry
the line of ancestors from whom a person is descended they could trace their origins back 15 generations

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word origin distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of origin are inception, root, and source. While all these words mean "the point at which something begins its course or existence," origin applies to the things or persons from which something is ultimately derived and often to the causes operating before the thing itself comes into being.

an investigation into the origin of baseball

In what contexts can inception take the place of origin?

Although the words inception and origin have much in common, inception stresses the beginning of something without implying causes.

the business has been a success since its inception

When might root be a better fit than origin?

While in some cases nearly identical to origin, root suggests a first, ultimate, or fundamental source often not easily discerned.

the real root of the violence

When is source a more appropriate choice than origin?

The meanings of source and origin largely overlap; however, source applies more often to the point where something springs into being.

the source of the Nile
the source of recurrent trouble

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of origin The origins of the Presidential Fitness Test date back to the 1950s under President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s administration. —Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 31 July 2025 Only 11% of the people in Finland are of foreign origin. —Sheah Rarback, Miami Herald, 31 July 2025 With its origins tracing back to 675 AD, Bath Abbey is one of England’s crowning jewels of Perpendicular Gothic architecture. —Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 31 July 2025 Time will tell if the origin of Kodak’s issue is revealed or if Khaled replies. —Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 30 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for origin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for origin
  1. source
  2. root
  3. ancestry
  4. cradle
  5. beginning
  6. lineage
  7. genesis
  8. pedigree
Noun
  • The senior bonus deduction, Watson points out, applies to any source of taxable income that a taxpayer who is 65 or older has and may not necessarily eliminate all tax on Social Security benefits.
    — Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 14 July 2025
  • One anonymous source donated 40 units, but since then, White said, there have been few, if any, such offerings.
    — Jerry Shnay, Chicago Tribune, 14 July 2025
Definition of source
Noun
  • The instrument’s roots go at least as far back as the fifteenth century, but it was nearly lost to history, salvaged solely by a grassroots revival in the nineteen-eighties.
    — Elena Saavedra Buckley, New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2025
  • The business traces its roots to 1949 when Joseph Gibeley, a Depression-era hat salesman, opened a kiosk and then a store in Salem, Mass.
    — Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 1 Aug. 2025
Definition of root
Noun
  • Despite these recent advances, understanding remains grossly inadequate regarding the descendants of Indigenous people of Mexico and Central America now living in the state, 60 percent of whom are usually considered mestizo, or of mixed European and Indigenous ancestry.
    — Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
  • The advanced policing technique involves submitting crime-scene DNA to public ancestry databases to narrow down the list of possible culprits.
    — Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 24 July 2025
Definition of ancestry
Noun
  • Eric Lafforgue/Art in All of Us/Corbis via Getty Images Tropical rainforests are the cradle of life on Earth—and the world's lungs.
    — Juan Carlos Navarro, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 July 2025
  • Since beginning science operations in July 2022, JWST has transformed our understanding of the universe, from spotting the earliest galaxies yet to probing exoplanets and cradles of newborn stars.
    — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 10 July 2025
Definition of cradle
Noun
  • The Ticket Act, which is currently being considered in the United States Senate, requires ticket sellers to clearly and prominently disclose at the beginning of the transaction.
    — Beck Andrew Salgado, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
  • The Gate 5 project has been under construction since the beginning of the year.
    — Alysa Guffey, IndyStar, 29 July 2025
Definition of beginning
Noun
  • For instance, data must be tagged to identify its source and to track its lineage before being transferred into internal database fields and tables.
    — Forbes.com, Forbes.com, 29 July 2025
  • Alex Foxworth Alex Foxworth, originally from Greensboro, N.C., infuses her designs with sentimentality and appreciation for her family lineage.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 27 July 2025
Definition of lineage
Noun
  • A great deal of the second episode of the second season is devoted to a potentially controversial topic among the hardcore fan set: the genesis and reaction to Jar Jar Binks.
    — Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 13 July 2025
  • Yelland, a married mom with a son (Leo, 3 years old), explained the genesis of her journey.
    — Carol Cain, Freep.com, 5 July 2025
Definition of genesis
Noun
  • But several players on Denver’s roster don’t come with that kind of pedigree and enter training camp fighting for their football lives.
    — Luca Evans, Denver Post, 21 July 2025
  • Li may not boast the major-winning pedigree of his American counterpart, but the world No. 111 has history at The Open.
    — Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 18 July 2025
Definition of pedigree

Browse Nearby Words

orifices
origin
original
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Cite this Entry

“Origin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/origin. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.

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