original

English Online Dictionary. What means original‎? What does original mean?

English

Etymology

From Middle English original, from Old French original, from Late Latin orīginālis (“primitive, original”), from Latin orīgō (“beginning, source, origin”); see origin.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /əˈɹɪd͡ʒɪnəl/, /əˈɹɪd͡ʒənəl/, /əˈɹɪd͡ʒnəl/
• (obsolete) IPA^(key): /ɒˈɹɪd͡ʒɪnəl/
• Hyphenation: ori‧gi‧nal, orig‧i‧nal

Adjective

original (comparative more original, superlative most original)

1. (not comparable) Relating to the origin or beginning; preceding all others.
2. (not comparable) First in a series of copies or versions.

   Synonym: initial
3. (not comparable) Newly created.

4. (comparable) Fresh, different.

5. (not comparable) Pioneering.

6. (not comparable) Having a specified place or time as its origin.

7. (of a potato chip) Seasoned with salt but no other flavoring; ready salted

Synonyms

• autograph
• prototype

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “first in a series”):
  • copy, reproduction, simile (imitation)
  • derivative (branch)
  • ultimate (last, extreme)

Derived terms

Related terms

Descendants

• → Japanese: オリジナル (orijinaru)
• → Malay: original

Translations

Noun

original (plural originals)

1. An object or other creation (e.g. narrative work) from which all later copies and variations are derived.

   Synonym: prototype

   Antonyms: copy, derivative, remake, reproduction, ultimate

   Hyponym: autograph

2. A person with a unique and interesting personality or creative talent.
3. (archaic) An eccentric person.
4. A newly designed garment released by a fashion designer as part of a collection.
5. A ridgeling.

Descendants

• → Japanese: オリジナル (orijinaru)
• → Korean: 오리지널 (orijineol)

Translations

References

Further reading

• “original”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1911), “original”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC.

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin orīginālis. First attested in the 14th century.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central) [u.ɾi.ʒiˈnal]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic) [o.ɾi.ʒiˈnal]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [o.ɾi.d͡ʒiˈnal]

Adjective

original m or f (masculine and feminine plural originals)

1. original

Derived terms

• originalitat
• originalment

Related terms

• origen

References

Further reading

• “original” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “original” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “original” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

Danish

Adjective

original (neuter originalt, plural and definite singular attributive originale)

1. original

Noun

original c (singular definite originalen, plural indefinite originaler)

1. an original

Declension

Further reading

• “original” in Den Danske Ordbog
• “original” in Ordbog over det danske Sprog

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin orīginālis. Doublet of originel.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɔ.ʁi.ʒi.nal/
• Homophones: originale, originales

Adjective

original (feminine originale, masculine plural originaux, feminine plural originales)

1. original

   Antonyms: banal, copié, reproduit, vulgaire

Related terms

Noun

original m (plural originaux)

1. an unusual or eccentric person

   Synonym: drôle d’oiseau

2. an original manuscript

   Synonym: autographe

Further reading

• “original”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

German

Etymology

Borrowed from French original, from Old French original, from Late Latin orīginālis (“primitive, original”), from Latin orīgō (“beginning, source, origin”). Doublet of originell.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /oʁiɡiˈnaːl/
• Rhymes: -aːl

Adjective

original (strong nominative masculine singular originaler, comparative originaler, superlative am originalsten)

1. original

Declension

Related terms

Adverb

original

1. (colloquial, intensifier) really, actually

   Synonyms: echt, wirklich

Further reading

• “original” in Duden online
• “original” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

Malay

Alternative forms

• ori (clipping)

Etymology

Borrowed from English original, from Middle English original, from Old French original, from Late Latin orīginālis (“primitive, original”), from Latin orīgō (“beginning, source, origin”).

Pronunciation

• (English-based) IPA^(key): [ɔ.ri.d͡ʒi.nəl]
  • Rhymes: -nəl, -əl
• (Baku) IPA^(key): [ɔ.ri.ɡi.nal]
  • Rhymes: -nal, -al
• Hyphenation: o‧ri‧gi‧nal

Adjective

original (Jawi spelling اوريݢينل)

1. (informal) Not fake; original.

   Synonyms: asli, tulen

   Antonym: tiruan

Further reading

• “original” in Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu | Malay Literary Reference Centre, Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2017.

Middle English

Alternative forms

• oryginall, origynall, orygynal, orygynall, origynal, oryginal, oregynall, originalle, originall

Etymology

From Old French original, from Late Latin orīginālis; equivalent to origyne +‎ -al.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɔriɡiˈnaːl/, /ɔriɡiˈnal/, /ɔriːɡiˈnal/

Adjective

original (plural and weak singular originale)

1. original, primordial; preceding everything else
2. connected to the origin or beginning of something

Derived terms

• originali

Descendants

• English: original
• Scots: original, oreeginal

References

• “orī̆ǧinā̆l(e, adj.(1).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2019-02-26.

Noun

original (plural originals) (Late Middle English)

1. the origin, lineage, or provenance of something
2. the authoritative, authorial, or primordial version of a work or source
3. (rare) something that isn't living or artificial; a primordial element
4. (rare) a reason, factor, or generator of something
5. (rare) the root or etymological ancestor of a word
6. (rare, religion) the making of the universe
7. (rare, law) a legal document beginning legal action

Derived terms

• originali

Descendants

• English: original
• Scots: original, oreeginal

References

• “orī̆ǧinā̆l(e, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2019-02-26.

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Latin orīginālis; the noun being derived from the adjective.

Pronunciation

Adjective

original (neuter singular originalt, definite singular and plural originale)

1. original

Noun

original m (definite singular originalen, indefinite plural originaler, definite plural originalene)

1. an original

References

• “original” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Latin orīginālis; the noun being derived from the adjective.

Adjective

original (neuter singular originalt, definite singular and plural originale)

1. original

Noun

original m (definite singular originalen, indefinite plural originalar, definite plural originalane)

1. an original

References

• “original” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Occitan

Etymology

From Latin orīginālis.

Pronunciation

Adjective

original m (feminine singular originala, masculine plural originals, feminine plural originalas)

1. original

Derived terms

• originalitat
• originalament

Related terms

• origina

Portuguese

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin orīginālis.

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: o‧ri‧gi‧nal

Adjective

original m or f (plural originais)

1. original (relating to the origin or beginning)
2. original (being the first in a series)
3. original (different; unique)

Derived terms

• originalidade
• originalmente

Related terms

• origem

Further reading

• “original”, in Michaelis Dicionário Brasileiro da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), São Paulo: Editora Melhoramentos, 2015–2025
• “original”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2025

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin originalis or French original. By surface analysis, origine +‎ -al.

Pronunciation

Adjective

original m or n (feminine singular originală, masculine plural originali, feminine and neuter plural originale)

1. original

Declension

Serbo-Croatian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /oriɡǐnaːl/
• Hyphenation: o‧ri‧gi‧nal

Noun

origìnāl m (Cyrillic spelling оригѝна̄л)

1. original

   Antonym: falsifikat

Declension

Spanish

Etymology

From Latin orīginālis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /oɾixiˈnal/ [o.ɾi.xiˈnal]
• Rhymes: -al
• Syllabification: o‧ri‧gi‧nal

Adjective

original m or f (masculine and feminine plural originales)

1. original

Derived terms

Related terms

Further reading

• “original”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10

Swedish

Pronunciation

Noun

original n

1. an original
2. an eccentric or strange person (from notion of a one of a kind)

Declension

Related terms

References

• original in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• original in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• original in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)