The point at which something comes into existence or from which it derives or is derived.
Ancestry: "We cannot escape our origins, however hard we try"(James Baldwin).
The fact of originating; rise or derivation: The rumor had its origin in an impulsive remark.
Anatomy The point of attachment of a muscle that remains relatively fixed during contraction.
Mathematics The point of intersection of coordinate axes, as in the Cartesian coordinate system.
[Middle English origine, ancestry, from Latin orīgō, orīgin-, from orīrī, to arise, be born; see er-1 in Indo-European roots.]
Synonyms: These nouns signify the point at which something originates. Origin is the point at which something comes into existence: The origins of some words are unknown.
When origin refers to people, it means parentage or ancestry: "He came . . . of mixed French and Scottish origin" (Charlotte Brontë).
Inception is the beginning, as of an action or process: The researcher was involved in the project from its inception. Source signifies the point at which something springs into being or from which it derives or is obtained: "The mysterious . . . is the source of all true art and science" (Albert Einstein).
Root often denotes what is considered the fundamental cause of or basic reason for something: "Lack of money is the root of all evil" (George Bernard Shaw).
the place where something begins, where it springs into being; "the Italian beginning of the Renaissance"; "Jupiter was the origin of the radiation"; "Pittsburgh is the source of the Ohio River"; "communism's Russian root" [syn: beginning]
2.
properties attributable to your ancestry; "he comes from good origins"
3.
an event that is a beginning; a first part or stage of subsequent events
4.
the point of intersection of coordinate axes; where the values of the coordinates are all zero
5.
the source of something's existence or from which it derives or is derived; "the rumor had its origin in idle gossip"; "vegetable origins"; "mineral origin"; "origin in sensation"
6.
the descendants of one individual; "his entire lineage has been warriors"
originAudio Help (ôr'ə-jĭn) Pronunciation Key
The point at which the axes of a Cartesian coordinate system intersect. The coordinates of the origin are (0,0) in two dimensions and (0,0,0) in three dimensions.
Main Entry: or·i·gin Pronunciation: 'or-&-j&n, 'är- Function: noun 1: the point at which something begins or rises or
from which it derives 2: the more fixed, central, or larger attachment of a muscle —compare INSERTION
1
Ab`o*rig"i*nes\ (-r[i^]j"[i^]*n[=e]z), n. pl. [L. Aborigines; ab + origo, especially the first inhabitants of Latium, those who originally (ab origine) inhabited Latium or Italy. See Origin.]1. The earliest known inhabitants of a country; native races. 2. The original fauna and flora of a geographical area
O"ri*ent\, a. [F., fr. L. oriens, -entis, p. pr. of oriri to rise. See Origin.]1. Rising, as the sun. Moon, that now meet'st the orient sun. --Milton. 2. Eastern; oriental. "The orient part." --Hakluyt. 3. Bright; lustrous; superior; pure; perfect; pellucid; -- used of gems and also figuratively, because the most perfect jewels are found in the East. "Pearls round and orient." --Jer. Taylor. "Orient gems." --Wordsworth. "Orient liquor in a crystal glass." --Milton.
Or"i*gin\, n. [F. origine, L. origo, -iginis, fr. oriri to rise, become visible; akin to Gr. 'orny`nai to stir up, rouse, Skr. [.r], and perh. to E. run.]1. The first existence or beginning of anything; the birth. This mixed system of opinion and sentiment had its origin in the ancient chivalry. --Burke. 2. That from which anything primarily proceeds; the fountain; the spring; the cause; the occasion. 3. (Anat.) The point of attachment or end of a muscle which is fixed during contraction; -- in contradistinction to insertion. Origin of co["o]rdinate axes (Math.), the point where the axes intersect. See Note under Ordinate. Syn: Commencement; rise; source; spring; fountain; derivation; cause; root; foundation. Usage: Origin, Source. Origin denotes the rise or commencement of a thing; source presents itself under the image of a fountain flowing forth in a continuous stream of influences. The origin of moral evil has been much disputed, but no one can doubt that it is the source of most of the calamities of our race. I think he would have set out just as he did, with the origin of ideas -- the proper starting point of a grammarian, who is to treat of their signs. --Tooke. Famous Greece, That source of art and cultivated thought Which they to Rome, and Romans hither, brought. --Waller.
Or"i*gin\, n. [F. origine, L. origo, -iginis, fr. oriri to rise, become visible; akin to Gr. 'orny`nai to stir up, rouse, Skr. [.r], and perh. to E. run.]1. The first existence or beginning of anything; the birth. This mixed system of opinion and sentiment had its origin in the ancient chivalry. --Burke. 2. That from which anything primarily proceeds; the fountain; the spring; the cause; the occasion. 3. (Anat.) The point of attachment or end of a muscle which is fixed during contraction; -- in contradistinction to insertion. Origin of co["o]rdinate axes (Math.), the point where the axes intersect. See Note under Ordinate. Syn: Commencement; rise; source; spring; fountain; derivation; cause; root; foundation. Usage: Origin, Source. Origin denotes the rise or commencement of a thing; source presents itself under the image of a fountain flowing forth in a continuous stream of influences. The origin of moral evil has been much disputed, but no one can doubt that it is the source of most of the calamities of our race. I think he would have set out just as he did, with the origin of ideas -- the proper starting point of a grammarian, who is to treat of their signs. --Tooke. Famous Greece, That source of art and cultivated thought Which they to Rome, and Romans hither, brought. --Waller.
O*rig"i*nate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Originated; p. pr. & vb. n. Originating.] [From Origin.] To give an origin or beginning to; to cause to be; to bring into existence; to produce as new. A decomposition of the whole civill and political mass, for the purpose of originating a new civil order. --Burke.
Run\, v. i. [imp. Ranor Run; p. p. Run; p. pr. & vb. n. Running.] [OE. rinnen, rennen (imp. ran, p. p. runnen, ronnen). AS. rinnan to flow (imp. ran, p. p. gerunnen), and iernan, irnan, to run (imp. orn, arn, earn, p. p. urnen); akin to D. runnen, rennen, OS. & OHG. rinnan, G. rinnen, rennen, Icel. renna, rinna, Sw. rinna, r["a]nna, Dan. rinde, rende, Goth. rinnan, and perh. to L. oriri to rise, Gr. ? to stir up, rouse, Skr. ? (cf. Origin), or perh. to L. rivus brook (cf. Rival). [root]11. Cf. Ember, a., Rennet.]1. To move, proceed, advance, pass, go, come, etc., swiftly, smoothly, or with quick action; -- said of things animate or inanimate. Hence, to flow, glide, or roll onward, as a stream, a snake, a wagon, etc.; to move by quicker action than in walking, as a person, a horse, a dog. Specifically: 2. Of voluntary or personal action: (a) To go swiftly; to pass at a swift pace; to hasten. "Ha, ha, the fox!" and after him they ran. --Chaucer. (b) To flee, as from fear or danger. As from a bear a man would run for life. --Shak. (c) To steal off; to depart secretly. My conscience will serve me to run from this jew. --Shak. (d) To contend in a race; hence, to enter into a contest; to become a candidate; as, to run for Congress. Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. --1 Cor. ix. 24. (e) To pass from one state or condition to another; to come into a certain condition; -- often with in or into; as, to run into evil practices; to run in debt. Have I not cause to rave and beat my breast, to rend my heart with grief and run distracted? --Addison. (f) To exert continuous activity; to proceed; as, to run through life; to run in a circle. (g) To pass or go quickly in thought or conversation; as, to run from one subject to another. Virgil, in his first Georgic, has run into a set of precepts foreign to his subject. --Addison. (h) To discuss; to continue to think or speak about something; -- with on. (i) To make numerous drafts or demands for payment, as upon a bank; -- with on. (j) To creep, as serpents. 3. Of involuntary motion: (a) To flow, as a liquid; to ascend or descend; to course; as, rivers run to the sea; sap runs up in the spring; her blood ran cold. (b) To proceed along a surface; to extend; to spread. The fire ran along upon the ground. --Ex. ix. 23. (c) To become fluid; to melt; to fuse. As wax dissolves, as ice begins to run. --Addison. Sussex iron ores run freely in the fire. --Woodward. (d) To turn, as a wheel; to revolve on an axis or pivot; as, a wheel runs swiftly round. (e) To travel; to make progress; to be moved by mechanical means; to go; as, the steamboat runs regularly to Albany; the train runs to Chicago. (f) To extend; to reach; as, the road runs from Philadelphia to New York; the memory of man runneth not to the contrary. She saw with joy the line immortal run, Each sire impressed, and glaring in his son. --Pope. (g) To go back and forth from place to place; to ply; as, the stage runs between the hotel and the station. (h) To make progress; to proceed; to pass. As fast as our time runs, we should be very glad in most part of our lives that it ran much faster. --Addison. (i) To continue in operation; to be kept in action or motion; as, this engine runs night and day; the mill runs six days in the week. When we desire anything, our minds run wholly on the good circumstances of it; when it is obtained, our minds run wholly on the bad ones. --Swift. (j) To have a course or direction; as, a line runs east and west. Where the generally allowed practice runs counter to it. --Locke. Little is the wisdom, where the flight So runs against all reason. --Shak. (k) To be in form thus, as a combination of words. The king's ordinary style runneth, "Our sovereign lord the king." --Bp. Sanderson. (l) To be popularly known; to be generally received. Men gave them their own names, by which they run a great while in Rome. --Sir W. Temple. Neither was he ignorant what report ran of himself. --Knolles. (m) To have growth or development; as, boys and girls run up rapidly. If the richness of the ground cause turnips to run to leaves. --Mortimer. (n) To tend, as to an effect or consequence; to incline. A man's nature runs either to herbs or weeds. --Bacon. Temperate climates run into moderate governments. --Swift. (o) To spread and blend together; to unite; as, colors run in washing. In the middle of a rainbow the colors are . . . distinguished, but near the borders they run into one another. --I. Watts. (p) To have a legal course; to be attached; to continue in force, effect, or operation; to follow; to go in company; as, certain covenants run with the land. Customs run only upon our goods imported or exported, and that but once for all; whereas interest runs as well upon our ships as goods, and must be yearly paid. --Sir J. Child. (q) To continue without falling due; to hold good; as, a note has thirty days to run. (r) To discharge pus or other matter; as, an ulcer runs. (s) To be played on the stage a number of successive days or nights; as, the piece ran for six months. (t) (Naut.) To sail before the wind, in distinction from reaching or sailing closehauled; -- said of vessels. 4. Specifically, of a horse: To move rapidly in a gait in which each leg acts in turn as a propeller and a supporter, and in which for an instant all the limbs are gathered in the air under the body. --Stillman (The Horse in Motion). 5. (Athletics) To move rapidly by springing steps so that there is an instant in each step when neither foot touches the ground; -- so distinguished from walking in athletic competition. As things run, according to the usual order, conditions, quality, etc.; on the average; without selection or specification. To let run (Naut.), to allow to pass or move freely; to slacken or loosen. To run after, to pursue or follow; to search for; to endeavor to find or obtain; as, to run after similes. --Locke. To run away, to flee; to escape; to elope; to run without control or guidance. To run away with. (a) To convey away hurriedly; to accompany in escape or elopement. (b) To drag rapidly and with violence; as, a horse runs away with a carriage. To run down. (a) To cease to work or operate on account of the exhaustion of the motive power; -- said of clocks, watches, etc. (b) To decline in condition; as, to run down in health. To run down a coast, to sail along it. To run for an office, to stand as a candidate for an office. To run in or into. (a) To enter; to step in. (b) To come in collision with. To run in trust, to run in debt; to get credit. [Obs.] To run in with. (a) To close; to comply; to agree with. [R.] --T. Baker. (b) (Naut.) To make toward; to near; to sail close to; as, to run in with the land. To run mad, To run mad after or on. See under Mad. To run on. (a) To be continued; as, their accounts had run on for a year or two without a settlement. (b) To talk incessantly. (c) To continue a course. (d) To press with jokes or ridicule; to abuse with sarcasm; to bear hard on. (e) (Print.) To be continued in the same lines, without making a break or beginning a new paragraph. To run out. (a) To come to an end; to expire; as, the lease runs out at Michaelmas. (b) To extend; to spread. "Insectile animals . . . run all out into legs." --Hammond. (c) To expatiate; as, to run out into beautiful digressions. (d) To be wasted or exhausted; to become poor; to become extinct; as, an estate managed without economy will soon run out. And had her stock been less, no doubt She must have long ago run out. --Dryden. To run over. (a) To overflow; as, a cup runs over, or the liquor runs over. (b) To go over, examine, or rehearse cursorily. (c) To ride or drive over; as, to run over a child. To run riot, to go to excess. To run through. (a) To go through hastily; as to run through a book. (b) To spend wastefully; as, to run through an estate. To run to seed, to expend or exhaust vitality in producing seed, as a plant; figuratively and colloquially, to cease growing; to lose vital force, as the body or mind. To run up, to rise; to swell; to grow; to increase; as, accounts of goods credited run up very fast. But these, having been untrimmed for many years, had run up into great bushes, or rather dwarf trees. --Sir W. Scott. To run with. (a) To be drenched with, so that streams flow; as, the streets ran with blood. (b) To flow while charged with some foreign substance. "Its rivers ran with gold." --J. H. Newman.
Source\, n. [OE. sours, OF. sourse, surse, sorse, F. source, fr. OF. sors, p. p. of OF. sordre, surdre, sourdre, to spring forth or up, F. sourdre, fr. L. surgere to lift or raise up, to spring up. See Surge, and cf. Souse to plunge or swoop as a bird upon its prey.]1. The act of rising; a rise; an ascent. [Obs.] Therefore right as an hawk upon a sours Up springeth into the air, right so prayers . . . Maken their sours to Goddes ears two. --Chaucer. 2. The rising from the ground, or beginning, of a stream of water or the like; a spring; a fountain. Where as the Poo out of a welle small Taketh his firste springing and his sours. --Chaucer. Kings that rule Behind the hidden sources of the Nile. --Addison. 3. That from which anything comes forth, regarded as its cause or origin; the person from whom anything originates; first cause. This source of ideas every man has wholly in himself. --Locke. The source of Newton's light, of Bacon's sense. --Pope. Syn: See Origin.
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