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origin

n.
US //ˈɔɹədʒən// UK //ˈɒɹɪdʒˌɪn// ori·gin
  1. 1 beginning or source (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    the point where something starts or the cause of something.

    the point or place where something begins, arises, or is derived.

    Example

    Scientists are still studying the origin of the universe.

    Example

    The researchers spent years tracing the origin of the myth back to ancient oral traditions in the Mediterranean.
  2. 2 ancestry or background (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a person's family background or the country they come from.

    a person's social or ethnic background; often used in the plural to refer to heritage.

    Example

    She is proud of her Irish origins and visits every summer.

    Example

    The biography explores the author's humble origins in a small mining town and how they influenced his later political views.

    Usage

    Often used in the plural form 'origins' when discussing family history.
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  1. 3 mathematics (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Math

    the point on a graph where the lines for zero meet.

    the point in a Cartesian coordinate system where the axes intersect, having all coordinates equal to zero.

    Example

    The graph starts at the origin where both x and y are zero.

    Example

    To solve the equation, you must first calculate the distance of each point from the origin of the coordinate plane.
    • zero point
  2. 4 anatomy (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Medicine

    the end of a muscle that stays still when the muscle moves.

    the point of attachment of a muscle to a bone that remains relatively fixed during muscular contraction.

    Example

    The origin of the bicep muscle is at the shoulder.

    Example

    The surgeon carefully identified the muscle's origin to avoid damaging the surrounding connective tissue during the procedure.

    Usage

    Contrasted with 'insertion', which is the end of the muscle that moves.
    • attachment point
Origin

From Middle English origine, origyne, from Old French origine, orine, ourine, from Latin orīgō (“beginning, source, birth, origin”), from orior (“to rise”); see orient. Doublet of origo.

Word family

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