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
Synonyms
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
Same as Papen, Tartt felt the blight and taint of her origins.
—
Lili Anolik, Vulture, 12 Nov. 2024
The team used the same strontium isotopes that were used to date the DNA samples to get a better understanding of the diversity and origins of Pompeii’s residents.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 7 Nov. 2024
The origins of the mystery song, as Rolling Stone reported in 2019, began with a young music fan named Darius S. from Wilhelmshaven, Germany.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 5 Nov. 2024
Listen to Jones speak on the origins of VIBE below.
—Jessica Bennett, VIBE.com, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for origin 
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.
Lili Anolik, Vulture, 12 Nov. 2024
The team used the same strontium isotopes that were used to date the DNA samples to get a better understanding of the diversity and origins of Pompeii’s residents.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 7 Nov. 2024
The origins of the mystery song, as Rolling Stone reported in 2019, began with a young music fan named Darius S. from Wilhelmshaven, Germany.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 5 Nov. 2024
Listen to Jones speak on the origins of VIBE below.
—Jessica Bennett, VIBE.com, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for origin
Dictionary Entries Near origin
Cite this Entry
“Origin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/origin. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share