Word family noun origin original originality originator adjective original ≠ unoriginal verb originate adverb originally
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishoriginalo‧rig‧i‧nal1 /əˈrɪdʒɪnəl, -dʒənəl/ ●●● S1 W1 adjective 1 [only before noun]FIRST existing or happening first, before other people or things The land was returned to its original owner. The kitchen still has many original features (=parts that were there when the house was first built). the original meaning of the word The original plan was to fly out to New York.2 NEWcompletely new and different from anything that anyone has thought of before I don’t think George is capable of having original ideas! That’s not a very original suggestion. a highly original design His work is truly original.► see thesaurus at new3 [only before noun]REAL/NOT FALSE OR ARTIFICIAL an original work of art is the one that was made by the artist and is not a copy The original painting is now in the National Gallery in London. an original Holbein drawingExamples from the Corpus
original• It's not a bad movie, but there's nothing very original about it.• My job is to think up creative and original advertising ideas• Many authors have used estimates generated by others in their own league table; did they check the original analyses?• Barnes was one of the three original board members.• The orphanage's original budget was just $60,000.• The case was listed for rehearing before a committee of seven members not all of whom sat on the original committee.• If intervention remains, it should be reduced to the original concept of a safety net for use in extreme emergencies.• I was impressed by the highly original design of the house.• For that would show some imperfection in the original design.• Steve comes up with a lot of original ideas.• Woolf's writing was completely original - nothing like it had ever been done before.• Our original plan was to go camping, but it was pouring with rain.• an original screenplay• The doctrine of original sin and baptismal regeneration meant that an unbaptised infant could not go to heaven.• The house still has its original stone floors.• a jazz musician with a completely original style• Most often, he found their original trials were fair, their complaints without merit.original features• A real bargain, with lovely owners, two beautiful overrun gardens and some quite well-preserved original features.• This is a massive departure for the Kings Of Simulation, and has many original features.• Today, it is a warm and friendly hotel where original features add character and style.• Inside, several original features remain, including the stained glass windows, oak and rosewood panelling, and parquet flooring.• Built in 1806 with lots of original features set in pleasant surroundings, guest lounge with open coal fire.• Of the cathedral's original features, the splendid choir is the most striking.highly original• He learnt the lesson well, and has since produced an impressive and highly original body of work.• An older repaint over a highly original car, this interesting specification Rover 2000 would respond well to careful detailing.• Wallis made a small but highly original contribution to the art and connoisseurship of his time.• A fine revival of a highly original piece of music theatre.• For instance, they created highly original relief panels to decorate the Sebasteion as well as other sculpture that adapted earlier models for different purposes.• In a highly original twist, the game allows you to determine the moral caliber of the hero.• Blackwell glossed reproduction in a highly original way, fusing it with claims for an active female sexuality.originaloriginal2 ●●○ noun [countable] 1 REAL/NOT FALSE OR ARTIFICIALa work of art or a document that is not a copy, but is the one produced by the writer or artist The colours are much more striking in the original. I’ll keep a copy of the contract, and give you the original.2 → in the original3 informalUNUSUAL someone whose behaviour, clothing etc is unusual and amusingExamples from the Corpus
original• That he was an individualist and an original meant little to a lad with stirrings in the groin department.• Stained-glass windows have been fitted in place of the grime-encrusted originals.• Click the extract button, and the originals will be extracted from the compressed file and placed in the new directory.• This is a photograph of the manuscript. The original is in the city museum.• Tomasson hedged a bit on the 48 bodies of the original.• I wasn't sure whether the portrait was an excellent copy or the original.• The originals were never formally withdrawn, but have been out of stock for some time.• Jack is a true original.From Longman Business Dictionaryoriginalo‧rig‧i‧nal /əˈrɪdʒənəl, -dʒənəl/ adjective [only before a noun] happening or existing firstWhich is the original document and which is the copy?The index-linked certificates were paying indexation plus 4% of theoriginal investment. —original noun [countable]Send us a signed copy of the invoice and keep the original. 