originally

adverb

orig·​i·​nal·​ly ə-ˈri-jə-nᵊl-ē How to pronounce originally (audio)
-ˈrij-nə-lē, 
-ˈri-jən-
Synonyms of originallynext
1
archaic : by origin or derivation : inherently
2
: in the beginning : in the first place : initially
3
: in a fresh or original manner

Synonyms of originally

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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.
Starting in Arraez’s place was Basabe, who has spent more time with the club than originally anticipated due to Matt Chapman’s lingering abdominal strain. — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 2 Aug. 2026 Hospital staff originally suspected the blood was from the woman attempting to terminate her pregnancy. — Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 2 Aug. 2026 Although originally developed as a decoy, the Gerbera has a modular architecture that is capable of supporting additional aerial missions. — Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026 Michelle Obama rocked Adidas’s Japan Decon sneakers, a retro style originally made for the 1964 Olympics. — Kaelin Dodge, InStyle, 1 Aug. 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

Browse Nearby Words

originality
originally
original minor scale
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Cite this Entry

“Originally.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/originally. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

originally

adverb
orig·​i·​nal·​ly ə-ˈrij-ən-ᵊl-ē How to pronounce originally (audio)
-nəl-ē
1
: in the beginning : in the first place
2
: in an original manner

More from Merriam-Webster on originally

Nglish: Translation of originally for Spanish Speakers

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