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 first piece visitors saw was a striking work by the artist Anina Major, which reinterpreted the weaving techniques passed down by generations of enslaved people of West African origin in the Bahamas into glazed stoneware.
—
Liam Hess, Vogue, 30 May 2025
The cities and towns are likely their cities of origin, officials said.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 30 May 2025
Read: OpenAI’s ambitions just became crystal clear Now 2015 feels like a very long time ago, and the charitable origins have turned into a ball and chain for OpenAI.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 30 May 2025
The objective is to study the composition and origin of the domes and surroundings.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for origin
Liam Hess, Vogue, 30 May 2025
The cities and towns are likely their cities of origin, officials said.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 30 May 2025
Read: OpenAI’s ambitions just became crystal clear Now 2015 feels like a very long time ago, and the charitable origins have turned into a ball and chain for OpenAI.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 30 May 2025
The objective is to study the composition and origin of the domes and surroundings.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for origin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for origin
Noun
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Charlie Davis Season: 46 Placed: 2nd If Q was the hurricane blowing through Survivor 46, Davis was a source of calm geniality at the center, constantly quoting Taylor Swift songs while obscuring his careful, clever gameplay.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Time,
29 May 2025
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That is the spring source of a waterfall that cascades into new economic equations and, eventually, quarterly profits.—
Mung Chiang,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2025
Noun
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Targeted Treatment for Inherited Disease in Infants More tools than ever before are available to address the root cause when a concerning genetic change is detected.—
William A. Haseltine,
Forbes.com,
2 June 2025
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One of the common root causes is that many of us instinctively fill every available surface, from drawers to shelves, and cabinets to closets.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 June 2025
Noun
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Another approach, the phylogenetic species concept, emphasizes ancestry instead of breeding.—
Elay Shech,
The Conversation,
30 May 2025
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For those without ancestry, the following nations offer quicker or simpler paths via residency.—
Nick Mordowanec,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 May 2025
Noun
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Bonus: There are cradles for your dumbbells, along with a tablet holder.—
Sara Coughlin,
SELF,
28 May 2025
-
Spanning 17 autonomous regions and two small enclaves in North Africa, the country is a cradle of diverse cultures, geography, traditions, even languages.—
Siobhan Reid,
Vogue,
28 May 2025
Noun
-
The spindly youngster is at the beginning of a journey that will successively turn him into one of the most promising, one of the most unfortunate, one of the most maddening and ultimately one of the most celebrated football players in the world.—
Tom Williams,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
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May 29, 2025 The LPGA Tour put in place a new pace of play policy at the beginning of the current season, which seeks to reduce playing times.—
Julio Cesar Valdera Morales,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 May 2025
Noun
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Metadata management tools integrated into Big Data ecosystems provide data lineage tracing, enabling organizations to know precisely where data originates, how it’s transformed and who has accessed it.—
Shinoy Vengaramkode Bhaskaran,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
-
This new study looked into the long lineage of these distinct bed bug populations.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
28 May 2025
Noun
-
This very project was arguably the genesis of former Harlem Councilmember Kristin Richardson Jordan‘s downfall.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
21 May 2025
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Its genesis was inspired by the move toward cord-cutting, the leverage sports teams have to pass along price increases to fans, and the defensive position of many real estate holdings teams possess, Zook told Sportico in 2022.—
Brendan Coffey,
Sportico.com,
7 May 2025
Noun
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Highlights include a pocket watch owned by Al Capone at Sotheby’s, a Rolex Daytona with a racing pedigree at Phillips and a Patek Philippe from 1989 that was once the world’s most complicated watch, from Christie’s.—
Carol Besler,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
-
Nowhere did the gold standard develop a more distinguished pedigree than in Britain, which established it in the 1700s and maintained it almost continuously until World War I. Most countries suspended the gold standard during the War but returned to it afterward.—
Time,
Time,
23 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Origin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/origin. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
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