Meanings
originate1
present singular third person originates · participle present originating · participle past originated · past originated
- transitiveTo cause (someone or something) to be; to bring (someone or something) into existence; to produce or initiate a person or thing.First known use 17th c.
Einstein originated the theory of relativity.
4 more examples
At Putney Bridge the train description transmissions for eastbound trains must be originated as there is no manned signal cabin on the London Transport system beyond this point; [...].
1960 December, “More L.T. progress with programme machines”, in Trains Illustrated, page 758For the first time since Douglas Fairbanks Sr. originated the role in the 1920 silent "The Mark of Zorro," the hero will be played by a Hispanic actor.
1998 July 12, James Hebert, “Banderas puts his mark on 'Zorro'”, in San Diego Union-TribuneThe financial backers who originated the Encyclopédie project in 1745 had no idea about what they were getting into.
2002, Colin Jones, The Great Nation, Penguin, published 2003, page 171Some of the most beautiful and thus appealing physical theories, including quantum electrodynamics and quantum gravity, have been dogged for decades by infinities that erupt when theorists try to prod their calculations into new domains. Getting rid of these nagging infinities has probably occupied far more effort than was spent in originating the theories.
2012 January 28, Michael Riordan, “Tackling Infinity”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 1, archived from the original on 30 Apr 2013, page 86 - intransitiveTo come into existence; to have origin or beginning; to spring, be derived (from, with).First known use 18th c.
The scheme originated with the governor and council.
1 more example
The idea of fitting a crane to an engine for shunting duties, primarily in works yards, appears to have originated with the North London Railway engine in 1872.
1951 October, H. C. Casserley, “Crane Engines”, in Railway Magazine, page 660Synonyms: spring to life
originate2
- not comparableobsoleterareFounded on, having its origin in (something).
My Testimony to and Abhorrence of every Invasion..against Christs Royal prerogative,..Originate upon and derivate from that which they call the Supremacy
1679, John Kid, The last speeches of the two ministers Mr. John King, and Mr. John Kid, [brace] at the place of execution at Edenburgh on the 14th day of August, 1679, page 23
Synonyms & antonyms
verbTo cause (someone or something) to be; to bring (someone or something) into existence; to produce or initiate a person or thing.
verbTo come into existence; to have origin or beginning; to spring, be derived (from, with).
More synonyms by meaning
verbcome into existence; take on form or shape
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
originate · verb
- Medieval Latinorīginātus
- Englishoriginate
From Medieval Latin orīginātus, perfect passive participle of orīginō (“to begin, give rise to”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) for more), from orīgō (orīgin- in compounds) + -ō. Compare Italian originare and Spanish originar. By surface analysis, origin + -ate.
More words from Medieval Latin
Full word history & related roots →originate · adjective
- Medieval Latinorīginātus
- Englishoriginate
From Medieval Latin orīginātus, see Etymology 1 and -ate (adjective-forming suffix) for more. By surface analysis, origin + -ate.
More words from Medieval Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian произхождам, възниквам
- произхождам (proizhoždam)to take first existence, have origin
- възниквам (văznikvam)to take first existence, have origin
- пора́ждам (poráždam)to give origin to, cause
- създавам (săzdavam)to give origin to, cause
Catalan originar, originar
- originarto take first existence, have origin
- originarto give origin to, cause
Dutch voortkomen
- voortkomento take first existence, have origin
Esperanto origini
- originito take first existence, have origin
Finnish juontua, aiheutua
- juontuato take first existence, have origin
- aiheutuato take first existence, have origin
- synnyttääto give origin to, cause
- aiheuttaato give origin to, cause
French venir de, instituer
- venir deto take first existence, have origin
- instituerto give origin to, cause
German entstehen, entspringen
- entstehento take first existence, have origin
- entspringento take first existence, have origin
- entwickelnto give origin to, cause
- erzeugento give origin to, cause
Greek προέρχομαι, γεννώ
- προέρχομαι (proérchomai)to take first existence, have origin
- γεννώ (gennó)to give origin to, cause
Hungarian ered, származik
- eredto take first existence, have origin
- származikto take first existence, have origin
- megteremtto give origin to, cause
Italian originare, avere origine
- originareto take first existence, have origin
- avere origineto take first existence, have origin
- originareto give origin to, cause
- dare origineto give origin to, cause
Korean 기원하다, 비롯하다
- 기원하다 (giwonhada)to take first existence, have origin
- 비롯하다 (birothada)to give origin to, cause
Latin provenio
- provenioto take first existence, have origin
Māori take, take
- taketo take first existence, have origin
- taketo give origin to, cause
- pūtaketo give origin to, cause
Portuguese originar, originar
- originarto take first existence, have origin
- originarto give origin to, cause
Russian происходи́ть, произойти́
- происходи́ть (proisxodítʹ)to take first existence, have origin
- произойти́ (proizojtí)to take first existence, have origin
- возника́ть (voznikátʹ)to take first existence, have origin
- возни́кнуть (vozníknutʹ)to take first existence, have origin
- создава́ть (sozdavátʹ)to give origin to, cause
- созда́ть (sozdátʹ)to give origin to, cause
- порожда́ть (poroždátʹ)to give origin to, cause
- породи́ть (porodítʹ)to give origin to, cause
Spanish originarse, originar
- originarseto take first existence, have origin
- originarto give origin to, cause
Ukrainian виникати, похо́дити
- виникати (vynykaty)to take first existence, have origin
- похо́дити (poxódyty)to take first existence, have origin
- породжувати (porodžuvaty)to give origin to, cause
- створювати (stvorjuvaty)to give origin to, cause
Vietnamese hình thành, bắt nguồn
- hình thànhto take first existence, have origin
- bắt nguồnto take first existence, have origin
- sáng tạoto give origin to, cause
- phát minhto give origin to, cause
- bắt đầuto give origin to, cause
Cite this entry
originate. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/originate
“originate.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/originate. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “originate,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/originate.
Source: originate on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.