originally

adverb

orig·i·nal·ly ə-ˈri-jə-nᵊl-ē

-ˈrij-nə-lē,

-ˈri-jən-

Synonyms of originally

archaic : by origin or derivation : inherently

: in the beginning : in the first place : initially

: in a fresh or original manner

Examples of originally in a Sentence

That van originally belonged to us. The building was originally a school. They originally planned to fix their old car, but they decided to buy a new one instead. Originally, the word had a very different meaning from its current meaning. a New Yorker who is originally from Mexico She has shown an ability to think originally about ways to improve the company.

Recent Examples on the Web

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.

For some young investors, that means money originally allocated to long-term strategies is being funneled to activities built around immediate outcomes. — Aneri Jambusaria, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026 The organization originally announced plans to open a European-style hostel there before transitioning the space into a shelter. — Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 18 Oct. 2026 The Vatican had originally estimated a weeklong hospital stay, and had canceled his audiences through Tuesday. — Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026 The show, originally in two parts, has been reconfigured to become a single-part performance lasting almost three hours. — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 17 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for originally

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of originally was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Originally.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/originally. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

originally

adverb

orig·i·nal·ly ə-ˈrij-ən-ᵊl-ē

-nəl-ē

: in the beginning : in the first place

: in an original manner

originally

adverb

Synonyms of originally

Examples of originally in a Sentence

Word History

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Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

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