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
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of origin
The airline described the sole survivor as a British national of Indian origin.
—
Callum Sutherland, Time, 12 June 2025
The sole survivor, the airline confirmed, was a British national of Indian origin.
—Greg Norman , Bradford Betz , Greg Wehner , Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 12 June 2025
But Thornton’s origins as a screenwriter and director aren’t part of that.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 12 June 2025
Immigrants are also more susceptible to invisibility as their credit file in the U.S. does not take into account their credit history in their origin country.
—Afshan Musani, CNBC, 11 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for origin
Callum Sutherland, Time, 12 June 2025
The sole survivor, the airline confirmed, was a British national of Indian origin.
—Greg Norman , Bradford Betz , Greg Wehner , Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 12 June 2025
But Thornton’s origins as a screenwriter and director aren’t part of that.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 12 June 2025
Immigrants are also more susceptible to invisibility as their credit file in the U.S. does not take into account their credit history in their origin country.
—Afshan Musani, CNBC, 11 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for origin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for origin
Noun
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Yerevan has since sought to diversify its defense sources, reducing arms imports from Russia to as low as 10 percent by 2024.—
Paul Iddon,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
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Climate change and shifting food sources are also causing species-wide population declines, the experts said.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
8 June 2025
Noun
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The root of omakase is creativity, and to that end, there’s also a whole lot of uniqueness of concept found even within the omakase realm – and for fans of omakase, there’s some incredible bucket-list experiences that must be enjoyed.—
Aly Walansky,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2025
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To remove invasive vines, cut them back to the ground, dig out roots when possible, and apply herbicide directly to fresh cuts with care—never spray near desirable plants.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
14 June 2025
Noun
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People of Mexican ancestry who live in border counties along the Rio Grande, for example, are likely more hawkish on immigration than, say, a Dominican American in Washington Heights in NYC.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 June 2025
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People with African ancestry tend to have high porosity hair.12 Also, people with gray hair or light-colored hair and people of older age are more likely to have highly porous hair.12 Characteristics of High Porosity Hair High porosity hair can have various characteristics.—
Sherri Gordon,
Health,
4 June 2025
Noun
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The president was undeterred, and the flights resumed the very next day, filled with cardboard file boxes that had been repurposed into makeshift cradles.—
Jim Axelrod
June 9,
CBS News,
9 June 2025
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The lifestyle appeal of the M2 Pro is instantly obvious in its eye-catching design, which sees a roughly cubic, tan-colored body attached to a crisp metallic supporting cradle within which the projector can be rotated to get its images appearing at the right height on your wall or screen.—
John Archer,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
Noun
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Only Part of It Hails From Ingolstadt At the beginning of the 1990s, both Audi and Porsche needed help.—
Bryan Hood,
Robb Report,
10 June 2025
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Setting realistic expectations from the very beginning will create more meaningful relationships with clients that are built on trust.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
9 June 2025
Noun
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Previous studies have proven the existence of two lineages, northern Native American and southern Native American, which developed after people first arrived on the continent across an ice bridge from Siberia and started to move south.—
Jack Guy,
CNN Money,
11 June 2025
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What has that looked like in practice, sharing the history, sonic lineages, and socio-political context involved in the making of electronic music?—
Lisa Deaderick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 June 2025
Noun
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This sudden change to the imperial structure was the genesis of the 21st-century succession crisis.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
8 June 2025
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No place comes close to American Family Field, where lustily booing every mention of his name has become a sport to the fans here in a way that probably has outgrown its genesis.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 June 2025
Noun
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Here’s your chance to acquire a classic off-roader with a presidential pedigree.—
Bryan Hood,
Robb Report,
30 May 2025
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Brown’s youth at 23 and lack of a Broadway pedigree were things Uhry found scary, but those fears were settled when Brown shared the first two songs with Uhry.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
25 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Origin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/origin. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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