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.

The 32-year-old Boeing 767 was originally built to carry passengers and flew for several airlines for more than two decades before being converted to a cargo plane in 2015, according to flight-tracking site Flightradar24. — Anthony Izaguirre, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026 The expansion has also taken longer and cost more than originally planned. — Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 6 Sep. 2026 Kay, originally a late first-round pick by the Mets in 2016, is still the old bulldog type. — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 6 Sep. 2026 The Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement to NPR that Flight 7598 originally took off from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico. — Chandelis Duster, NPR, 6 Sep. 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 7 Sep. 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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