originality

noun

orig·​i·​nal·​i·​ty ə-ˌri-jə-ˈna-lə-tē 

1

: the quality or state of being original

2

: freshness of aspect, design, or style

3

: the power of independent thought or constructive imagination

Synonyms

• freshness
• newness
• novelty

Examples of originality in a Sentence

Critics have praised the movie's startling originality.

I was amazed by the originality of her ideas.

Recent Examples on the Web

This month, combine the Southwest’s signature sense of originality and the effortless sophistication of Downtown Manhattan with its Green Aventurine Medallion necklace with leather cord (faved by and as seen on Emily Ratajkowski). —Angela Lei, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025

TikTok users tend to value humor and originality while discouraging trolls. —Allison Morrow, CNN, 15 Jan. 2025

The Vimeo Curation Team reviews thousands of films to select the winners based on originality, technical excellence, storytelling impact, and overall artistic merit. —Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 15 Jan. 2025

Look to spend anything from $50,000 to Powerball money, depending on the model, condition, matching numbers (hugely important to the Corvette community), and originality. —Robert Ross, Robb Report, 3 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1742, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

originality

noun

orig·​i·​nal·​i·​ty ə-ˌrij-ə-ˈnal-ət-ē 

1

: the quality or state of being original : freshness

the originality of an idea

2

: the power or ability to think, act, or do something in new ways : creativity

an artist of great originality

Legal Definition

originality

noun

orig·​i·​nal·​i·​ty

: the quality or fact of being the product of individual creation that warrants copyright protection for a particular work regardless of novelty