original
preceding all others in time or being as first made or performed
How often you will meet it
Rank 1,929 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 9,315 times across 155,139 chapters — 0.004% of every word in the library.
What it means
adjective
- preceding all others in time or being as first made or performed the original inhabitants of the Americasthe book still has its original binding
- (of e.g. information) not secondhand or by way of something intermediary his work is based on only original, not secondary, sources
- being or productive of something fresh and unusual; or being as first made or thought of a truly original approachwith original music
- not derived or copied or translated from something else the play is original; not an adaptationhe kept the original copy and gave her only a xerox
noun
- an original creation (i.e., an audio recording) from which copies can be made also: master, master copy
- something that serves as a model or a basis for making copies also: archetype, pilot this painting is a copy of the original
original in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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Illustrated with eight Engravings, from Original designs.
The Life and Most Surprising Adventures · Daniel Defoe · Chapter 1
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The curtains retained but a vague shade of their original color.
Other People's Money · Emile Gaboriau · Chapter 1
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We will back the version in the text against Edward Irving's new language--for any money.-- Original note.
The Station · William Carleton · Chapter 1
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Although based upon Juvenal's tenth Satire, it is so free a paraphrase as to be an original poem.
The Vanity of Human Wishes (1749) and Two · Samuel Johnson · Chapter 1
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He says the original trouble which led to the lynching was a quarrel between Biscoe and a white man about a debt.
The Red Record Tabulated Statistics · Ida B. Wells-Barnett · Chapter 1