Meaning of origin in English

Table of contents
  1. Pronunciation
  2. Noun
    1. Etymology
    2. Definitions

  1. Pronunciation

    /ˈɔrədʒən/

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  1. Noun

    origin

    Etymology

    early 16th century: from French origine, from Latin origo, origin-, from oriri‘to rise’

    Definitions

    1. the place where something begins, where it springs into being

    Examples

    • « the Italian beginning of the Renaissance »
    • « Jupiter was the origin of the radiation »
    • « Pittsburgh is the source of the Ohio River »
    • « communism's Russian root »

    Derived terms

  2. 2. properties attributable to your ancestry

    Examples

    • « he comes from good origins »
  3. 3. an event that is a beginning

    Examples

    • « a first part or stage of subsequent events »

    Derived terms

  4. 4. the point of intersection of coordinate axes

    Examples

    • « where the values of the coordinates are all zero »
  5. 5. the descendants of one individual

    Examples

    • « his entire lineage has been warriors »

    Derived terms

Famous quotes

  • « All riches have their origin in mind. Wealth is in ideas - not money. »
    Robert Collier
  • « The latest horror to hit the U.S. looks to have been caused by people of Middle Eastern origin, bearing Muslim names. Again, shame. This fuels more hatred for a religion and a people who have nothing to do with these events. »
    Cat Stevens
  • « A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots. »
    Marcus Garvey
  • « All difficult things have their origin in that which is easy, and great things in that which is small. »
    Lao Tzu
  • « The positive testimony of history is that the State invariably had its origin in conquest and confiscation. No primitive State known to history originated in any other manner. »
    Albert J. Nock

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