noun
origin
OR-ih-jihn
noun
1
The point where something begins or comes from.
"The origin of the rumor was never traced."
"Scientists are still debating the origin of the universe."
2
A person's ancestry or background.
"Her family is of Italian origin."
How to Use Origin
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishWhere something (or someone's ancestry) started from.
Common pairings
country of origin
of humble origin
origin of the word
Word Forms
origins plural
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The _____ of the rumor was never traced.
Etymology
From Latin origo, "beginning, source," from orior, "to rise" — the same root behind "orient" and "original."