original

See also: Original

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/
• Hyphenation: ori‧gi‧nal

• 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:

     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^[1]:

     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, […].

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

• (first in series): initial
• autograph
• prototype

Antonyms

• copy
• derivative
• reproduction
• simile

Derived terms

• originally
• original sin

Related terms

• origin
• originality
• originate
• originative
• aboriginal

Translations

relating to the origin or beginning

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

• Hebrew: מְקוֹרִי‎‎ (he)
• Hungarian: eredeti (hu)
• Japanese: 元の (ja) (moto no)
• Ngazidja Comorian: -a aswili
• Portuguese: original (pt), originário (pt)
• Spanish: original (es)

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: самобитан, првобитни

  Roman: samobitan (sh), prvobitni (sh)

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

newly created

• Bengali: অপূর্ব (bn) (ôpurb)
• 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: самобитан, нов

  Roman: samobitan (sh), nov (sh)

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

fresh, different

• Belarusian: please add this translation if you can
• Bengali: অপূর্ব (bn) (ôpurb)
• 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, f

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

  Cyrillic: свеж

  Roman: svež (sh)

• Spanish: original (es)
• Swahili: halisi (sw)
• Swedish: originell (sv)
• 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)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.

Translations to be checked

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

• Korean: 원래 (wollae)
• Spanish: original m, 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)
• 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

• Portuguese: original (pt) m
• Russian: оригина́л (ru) m (originál), первоисто́чник (ru) m (pervoistóčnik), (text) исхо́дный текст (ru) m (isxódnyj tekst)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: изворник m, оригинал m

  Roman: izvornik (sh) m, original (sh) m

• Spanish: original (es) m
• Swahili: halisi (sw)
• Swedish: original (sv) n, förlaga (sv) c
• 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

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.

Translations to be checked

• 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)} originalis
• 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, The Century Co., New York, 1911

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Catalan

Adjective

original (masculine and feminine plural originals)

1. original

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French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin orīginālis. Doublet of originel.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɔ.ʁi.ʒi.nal/

• Audio

  (file)

Adjective

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

1. original

Antonyms

• banal
• copié
• reproduit
• vulgaire

Related terms

• originaire
• originalité
• origine
• originel
• en original

Noun

original m (plural originaux)

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

Synonyms

• (manuscript): autographe m

Further reading

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

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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/

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aːl

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

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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.

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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.

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Portuguese

Adjective

original m, f (plural originais, comparable)

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

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Serbo-Croatian

Pronunciation

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

Noun

origìnāl m (Cyrillic spelling оригѝна̄л)

1. original

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

Antonyms

• falsifikat

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Spanish

Etymology

From Latin orīginālis

Adjective

original (plural originales)

1. original

Related terms

• originalmente
• originalidad
• origen
• originar
• originario