2
a
: rise, beginning, or derivation from a source
the origin of life on Earth
The word "algebra" is of Arabic origin.
b
: the point at which something begins or rises or from which it derives
the origin of the custom
also
: something that creates, causes, or gives rise to another
a spring is the origin of the brook
3
: the more fixed, central, or larger attachment of a muscle
4
: the intersection of coordinate axes
Examples of origin in a Sentence
Her ethnic origins are French.
the origins of human language remain a matter of considerable debate
Recent Examples on the Web
That’s how British star Stephen Graham (Bodies, Boiling Point) describes the origins of the idea for his Netflix crime drama Adolescence, which premieres on Thursday, during a recent Next on Netflix event in London.
—
Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Mar. 2025
However, the origin of this claim can be traced to a parody Facebook page known as America's Last Line of Defense.
—Shahar Ziv, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
Katherine Sprung, a pastry chef and founder of Squish Marshmallows, as well as the host of the food history podcast Sprung on Food, told Newsweek about the dish's origins.
—Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025
McBride grew up in Virginia — making Elijah’s origins a nod to his own — surrounded by Civil War lore.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for origin
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Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Mar. 2025
However, the origin of this claim can be traced to a parody Facebook page known as America's Last Line of Defense.
—Shahar Ziv, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
Katherine Sprung, a pastry chef and founder of Squish Marshmallows, as well as the host of the food history podcast Sprung on Food, told Newsweek about the dish's origins.
—Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025
McBride grew up in Virginia — making Elijah’s origins a nod to his own — surrounded by Civil War lore.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for origin
Cite this Entry
“Origin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/origin. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
origin
noun
or·i·gin
ˈȯr-ə-jən 
ˈär-
2
a
: a rising, beginning, or coming from a source
b
: basic source or cause
3
: the intersection of the x-axis and y-axis on a graph
Medical Definition
origin
noun
or·i·gin
ˈȯr-ə-jən, ˈär-
1
: the point at which something begins or rises or from which it derives
2
: the more fixed, central, or larger attachment of a muscle compare insertion sense 1
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