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.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of origin
Despite their common origins, similar cultures, and long ties of commerce and kinship, the countries grew to hate each other as only estranged family members can.
—
Tom Bell, Oc Register, 12 Apr. 2025
From names with Biblical origins to those that reference mythical gods, there is no shortage of interesting, strong, and powerful celestial names.
—Sarah Scott, Parents, 11 Apr. 2025
The mill is building traceability into its cotton as well with a project that will help brands (and eventually consumers) gain visibility into the origins of their cotton.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 10 Apr. 2025
Baseball is a world of a million origin stories.
—Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for origin
Tom Bell, Oc Register, 12 Apr. 2025
From names with Biblical origins to those that reference mythical gods, there is no shortage of interesting, strong, and powerful celestial names.
—Sarah Scott, Parents, 11 Apr. 2025
The mill is building traceability into its cotton as well with a project that will help brands (and eventually consumers) gain visibility into the origins of their cotton.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 10 Apr. 2025
Baseball is a world of a million origin stories.
—Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for origin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for origin
Noun
-
Constructed from Alexander Graham Bell’s simple tetrahedron cell, the Cygnet model consists of two equilateral paper triangles, connected and illuminated by a hidden light source.—
Sofia Celeste,
Footwear News,
10 Apr. 2025
-
Legendary is eyeing a 2026 production start, another source adds.—
Matt Donnelly,
Variety,
10 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
What developers would like in these scenarios is a way to find the root cause of security issues and be able to prioritize actions to remediate system health.—
Adrian Bridgwater,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
-
Like many modern calamities, the roots of the Great Flood were firmly planted in history.—
Michael Peregrine,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Customers send vials of their saliva to 23andMe for results on ancestry and health.—
Ella Gonzales,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 Apr. 2025
-
In Kevin Nguyen’s gripping novel, the U.S. government sets up internment camps for citizens of Vietnamese ancestry following a wave of terrorist attacks.—
Meg Zukin,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Working inside the iconic 52-story-tall Vehicle Assembly Building, ground teams used heavy-duty cranes to first lift the butterscotch orange core stage from its cradle in the VAB's cavernous transfer aisle, the central passageway between the building's four rocket assembly bays.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
24 Mar. 2025
-
Side and stomach sleepers will especially appreciate the side channels that cradle arms, as well as divots that minimize pressure on cheeks and ears.—
Miles Walls,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
At the beginning of last year, Del Rey shared a snippet of the ballad without any context.—
Maya Georgi,
Rolling Stone,
11 Apr. 2025
-
At the beginning of Carrie Coon‘s time in Thailand filming this season of The White Lotus, she — along with her costars Leslie Bibb and Michelle Monaghan — was reckoning with the idea that their plotline felt much quieter than the others.—
Seija Rankin,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The results, Shapiro says, show the dire wolf was the result of hybridization between two ancient, now extinct canid lineages.—
Andrea Thompson,
Scientific American,
8 Apr. 2025
-
Viewers know that someone named John will continue the Dutton lineage, eventually leading to Kevin Costner’s John III of the flagship series.—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The Lakers’ 123-116 loss to Golden State on Thursday night probably had its genesis in a scoreless drought of more than six minutes, the final 3:43 of the first quarter and the first 2:29 of the second.—
Jim Alexander,
Oc Register,
4 Apr. 2025
-
Writing on the seventieth anniversary of the war’s end, in the preface to his magisterial The German War (2015), Oxford’s Nicholas Stargardt described the book’s genesis a decade earlier, in 2005.—
Chris Doyle,
Hartford Courant,
2 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The film comes with strong festival pedigree, having received the SGIFF Short Film Fund and the Singapore Momo Distribution Grant.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
17 Apr. 2025
-
Such is the appeal of the new Chinese restaurant on 79th Street Causeway, a stylish but comfortable spot hidden within a modest property, with a startling culinary pedigree and a menu that may challenge your idea of what a neighborhood Chinese restaurant should be.—
Connie Ogle,
Miami Herald,
15 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Origin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/origin. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share