original

See also: Original

Contents

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): /əˈɹɪdʒɪnəl/, /əˈɹɪdʒənəl/, /əˈɹɪdʒnəl/
• Hyphenation: ori‧gi‧nal, orig‧inal

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Adjective

original (comparative more original, superlative most original)

1. (not comparable) relating to the origin or beginning; preceding all others

   the original state of mankind;  the original laws of a country;  the original inventor of a process

   • 1944, Miles Burton, chapter 5, in The Three Corpse Trick‎^[1], →ISBN, OCLC 3289313, OL 10563347W:

     The hovel stood in the centre of what had once been a vegetable garden, but was now a patch of rank weeds. Surrounding this, almost like a zareba, was an irregular ring of gorse and brambles, an unclaimed vestige of the original common.

2. (not comparable) first in a series or copies/versions

   The original manuscript contained spelling errors which were fixed in later versions.

   This recording is by the original broadway cast.

   • 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 1, in The China Governess‎^[2], →ISBN, OL 2004261W:

     The original family who had begun to build a palace to rival Nonesuch had died out before they had put up little more than the gateway, […].

   Synonym: initial

3. (not comparable) newly created

   Tonight we will hear an original work by one of our best composers.

4. (comparable) fresh, different

   The paper contains a number of original ideas about color perception.

5. (not comparable) pioneering

   Parker was one of the original bebop players.

6. (not comparable) having as its origin

   This kind of barbecue is original to North Carolina.

Synonyms

• autograph
• prototype

Antonyms

• copy
• derivative
• reproduction
• simile

Derived terms

• originally
• original sin

 

Related terms

• aboriginal
• origin
• originality
• originate
• originative

 

Translations

relating to the origin or beginning

• Belarusian: арыгіна́льны (aryhinálʹny)
• Danish: oprindelig
• Dutch: oorspronkelijk (nl)
• French: originel (fr)
• Galician: orixinal m or f
• German: ursprünglich (de), ur- (de)
• Greek: αρχικός (el) (archikós)

  Ancient: ἀρχικός (arkhikós)

• Hebrew: מְקוֹרִי‎ (he)
• Hungarian: eredeti (hu)
• Japanese: 元の (ja) (moto no)
• Latin: primitivus
• Ngazidja Comorian: -a aswili
• Portuguese: original (pt), originário (pt)
• Russian: оригина́льный (ru) (originálʹnyj)
• Spanish: original (es)
• Ukrainian: оригіна́льний (uk) (oryhinálʹnyj)

first in a series

• Arabic: أَصْلِيّ‎ (ʾaṣliyy)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 原 (zh) (yuán), 原始 (zh) (yuánshǐ)

• Czech: původní (cs)
• Dutch: origineel (nl), oorspronkelijk (nl)
• Finnish: alkuperäinen (fi), ensimmäinen (fi)
• French: original (fr)
• German: original (de)
• Greek: αρχικός (el) m (archikós)
• Hungarian: eredeti (hu)
• Italian: originale (it)
• Japanese: 本来の (ja) (ほんらいの, honrai no)
• Korean: 최초의 (ko) (choecho-ui)
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: original (no)

  Nynorsk: original, opphavleg

• Persian: اصلی‎ (fa) (asli), اریژینال‎ (orižinâl)
• Portuguese: original (pt)
• Russian: первонача́льный (ru) (pervonačálʹnyj), перви́чный (ru) (pervíčnyj), исхо́дный (ru) (isxódnyj), оригина́льный (ru) (originálʹnyj)
• Scottish Gaelic: tùsail
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: са̏мобӣтан, првобитни

  Roman: sȁmobītan (sh), prvobitni (sh)

• Spanish: original (es)
• Swahili: halisi (sw)
• Swedish: original-
• Vietnamese: gốc (vi)
• Yiddish: אָריגינעל‎ (originel)

newly created

• Bengali: অপূর্ব (bn) (ôpūrb)
• Dutch: origineel (nl), oorspronkelijk (nl)
• Finnish: tuore (fi), alkuperäinen (fi)
• German: original (de)
• Greek: πρωτότυπος (el) m (protótypos)
• Portuguese: original (pt)
• Russian: но́вый (ru) (nóvyj), све́жий (ru) (svéžij)

• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: са̏мобӣтан, но̏в

  Roman: sȁmobītan (sh), nȍv (sh)

• Spanish: original (es)
• Swahili: halisi (sw)
• Yiddish: אָריגינעל‎ (originel)

fresh, different

• Belarusian: арыгіна́льны (aryhinálʹny)
• Bengali: অপূর্ব (bn) (ôpūrb)
• Danish: original
• Dutch: origineel (nl), oorspronkelijk (nl)
• Finnish: tuore (fi), omaperäinen (fi), originelli (fi), omintakeinen (fi)
• French: original (fr)
• German: originell (de)
• Greek: πρωτότυπος (el) (protótypos)
• Hebrew: מְקוֹרִי‎ (he)
• Italian: originale (it) m or f

• Portuguese: original (pt)
• Russian: све́жий (ru) (svéžij), своеобра́зный (ru) (svojeobráznyj), оригина́льный (ru) (originálʹnyj)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: све̏ж

  Roman: svȅž (sh)

• Spanish: original (es)
• Swahili: halisi (sw)
• Swedish: originell (sv)
• Ukrainian: оригіна́льний (uk) (oryhinálʹnyj)
• Yiddish: אָריגינעל‎ (originel)

pioneering

• Dutch: origineel (nl), vernieuwend (nl)
• Finnish: alkuperäinen (fi), ensimmäinen (fi)
• French: original (fr)
• German: ursprünglich (de)

• Greek: πρωτοποριακός (el) m (protoporiakós)
• Spanish: original (es)
• Swahili: halisi (sw)

having as its origin

• Dutch: afkomstig (nl)
• Finnish: peräisin (fi)
• German: ursprünglich (de)
• Maori: taketake

• Scottish Gaelic: tùsail
• Spanish: original (es)
• Swahili: halisi (sw)
• Swedish: ursprunglig (sv)

Translations

• Esperanto: ^{(please verify)} origina
• French: ^{(please verify)} original (fr) m, ^{(please verify)} originale (fr) f
• Italian: originale m or f

• Korean: 원래 (wollae)
• Spanish: original m or f
• Swedish: original- (1), ursprunglig (1), originell (3),

Noun

original (plural originals)

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

   This manuscript is the original.

2. a person with a unique and interesting personality and/or creative talent

   You’re a real original.

3. (archaic) an eccentric

Synonyms

• autograph
• prototype

Antonyms

• copy
• remake
• reproduction

Translations

object from which all later copies and variations are derived

• Armenian: սկզբնագիր (hy) (skzbnagir), բնագիր (hy) (bnagir)
• Belarusian: арыгіна́л m (aryhinál)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 原作 (zh) (yuánzuò), (text) 原文 (zh) (yuánwén), 原物 (zh) (yuánwù), 本來 (zh), 本来 (zh) (běnlái), 原著 (zh) (yuánzhù), 原件 (zh) (yuánjiàn)

• Czech: originál (cs) m
• Dutch: origineel (nl) n
• Finnish: alkuperäiskappale, originaali (fi)
• French: original (fr) m
• German: Original (de) n, (text) Urschrift f
• Greek: πρωτότυπο (el) n (protótypo)
• Icelandic: frumeintak n, (informal) orginall m, (only of writing) frumrit (is) n
• Japanese: 原作 (ja) (げんさく, gensaku), (text) 原文 (ja) (げんぶん, genbun), 原物 (げんぶつ, genbutsu)
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: original (no) m

  Nynorsk: original m

• Polish: oryginał (pl), pierwowzór (pl) m, wzorzec (pl) m, prawzór m
• Portuguese: original (pt) m
• Russian: оригина́л (ru) m (originál), первоисто́чник (ru) m (pervoistóčnik), (text) исхо́дный текст (ru) m (isxódnyj tekst)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: ѝзво̄рнӣк m, оригѝна̄л m

  Roman: ìzvōrnīk (sh) m, origìnāl (sh) m

• Spanish: original (es) m
• Swahili: halisi (sw)
• Swedish: original (sv) n, förlaga (sv) c
• Ukrainian: оригіна́л (uk) m (oryhinál)
• Yiddish: אָריגינאַל‎ m (original)

person with a unique and interesting personality and/or creative talent

• Dutch: unicum (nl) n
• Finnish: ainutlaatuinen ihminen, originelli persoona
• Russian: оригина́л (ru) m (originál)

• Spanish: único (es) m
• Swahili: halisi (sw)

archaism for an eccentric — see eccentric

Translations

• Crimean Tatar: ^{(please verify)} öz
• French: original m
• German: Vorlage f (1), Original n (1,2,3)
• Italian: ^{(please verify)} originale (it) m
• Korean: 고유 (goyu)

• Latin: ^{(please verify)} orīginālis
• Mandarin: 原物 (yuánwù)
• Spanish: original m
• Swedish: original n (1, 2, 3), förlaga c

Further reading

• original in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• original in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

---

Catalan

Pronunciation

• (Balearic) IPA^(key): /o.ɾi.ʒiˈnal/
• (Central) IPA^(key): /u.ɾi.ʒiˈnal/
• (Valencian) IPA^(key): /o.ɾi.d͡ʒiˈnal/

Adjective

original (masculine and feminine plural originals)

1. original

---

Danish

Noun

original c (singular definite originalen, plural indefinite originaler)

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

Declension

Declension of original

common gender	Singular		Plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	original	originalen	originaler	originalerne
genitive	originals	originalens	originalers	originalernes

Adjective

original

1. original

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/

• Audio

  (file)

• Homophones: originale, originales

Adjective

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

1. original

   Antonyms: banal, copié, reproduit, vulgaire

Related terms

• en original
• originaire
• originalité
• origine
• originel

 

Noun

original m (plural originaux)

1. an unusual or eccentric person
2. an original manuscript

   Synonym: autographe

Further reading

• “original” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

---

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

• Audio

  (file)

Adjective

original (comparative originaler, superlative am originalsten)

1. original

Declension

Positive forms of original

number & gender		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter	all genders
predicative		er ist original	sie ist original	es ist original	sie sind original
strong declension (without article)	nominative	originaler	originale	originales	originale
	genitive	originalen	originaler	originalen	originaler
	dative	originalem	originaler	originalem	originalen
	accusative	originalen	originale	originales	originale
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	der originale	die originale	das originale	die originalen
	genitive	des originalen	der originalen	des originalen	der originalen
	dative	dem originalen	der originalen	dem originalen	den originalen
	accusative	den originalen	die originale	das originale	die originalen
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	ein originaler	eine originale	ein originales	(keine) originalen
	genitive	eines originalen	einer originalen	eines originalen	(keiner) originalen
	dative	einem originalen	einer originalen	einem originalen	(keinen) originalen
	accusative	einen originalen	eine originale	ein originales	(keine) originalen

Comparative forms of original

number & gender		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter	all genders
predicative		er ist originaler	sie ist originaler	es ist originaler	sie sind originaler
strong declension (without article)	nominative	originalerer	originalere	originaleres	originalere
	genitive	originaleren	originalerer	originaleren	originalerer
	dative	originalerem	originalerer	originalerem	originaleren
	accusative	originaleren	originalere	originaleres	originalere
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	der originalere	die originalere	das originalere	die originaleren
	genitive	des originaleren	der originaleren	des originaleren	der originaleren
	dative	dem originaleren	der originaleren	dem originaleren	den originaleren
	accusative	den originaleren	die originalere	das originalere	die originaleren
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	ein originalerer	eine originalere	ein originaleres	(keine) originaleren
	genitive	eines originaleren	einer originaleren	eines originaleren	(keiner) originaleren
	dative	einem originaleren	einer originaleren	einem originaleren	(keinen) originaleren
	accusative	einen originaleren	eine originalere	ein originaleres	(keine) originaleren

Superlative forms of original

number & gender		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter	all genders
predicative		er ist am originalsten	sie ist am originalsten	es ist am originalsten	sie sind am originalsten
strong declension (without article)	nominative	originalster	originalste	originalstes	originalste
	genitive	originalsten	originalster	originalsten	originalster
	dative	originalstem	originalster	originalstem	originalsten
	accusative	originalsten	originalste	originalstes	originalste
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	der originalste	die originalste	das originalste	die originalsten
	genitive	des originalsten	der originalsten	des originalsten	der originalsten
	dative	dem originalsten	der originalsten	dem originalsten	den originalsten
	accusative	den originalsten	die originalste	das originalste	die originalsten
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	ein originalster	eine originalste	ein originalstes	(keine) originalsten
	genitive	eines originalsten	einer originalsten	eines originalsten	(keiner) originalsten
	dative	einem originalsten	einer originalsten	einem originalsten	(keinen) originalsten
	accusative	einen originalsten	eine originalste	ein originalstes	(keine) originalsten

Related terms

• Original n
• Originalität

 

Further reading

• original in Duden online

---

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.

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.

---

Portuguese

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /oɾiʒiˈnaw/
• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /uɾɨʒiˈnaɫ/
• Hyphenation: o‧ri‧gi‧nal

Adjective

original m or f (plural originais, comparable)

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

---

Serbo-Croatian

Pronunciation

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

Noun

origìnāl m (Cyrillic spelling оригѝна̄л)

1. original

   Antonym: falsifikat

Declension

Declension of original

	singular	plural
nominative	origìnāl	originali
genitive	originála	originala
dative	originalu	originalima
accusative	original	originale
vocative	originale	originali
locative	originalu	originalima
instrumental	originalom	originalima

---

Spanish

Etymology

From Latin orīginālis

Pronunciation

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

Adjective

original (plural originales)

1. original

Related terms

• origen
• originalidad
• originalmente
• originar
• originario