originally

adverb

orig·​i·​nal·​ly ə-ˈri-jə-nᵊl-ē 

-ˈrij-nə-lē,

-ˈri-jən-

1

archaic : by origin or derivation : inherently

2

: in the beginning : in the first place : initially

3

: in a fresh or original manner

Synonyms

• firstly
• initially
• primarily

Examples of originally in a Sentence

That van originally belonged to us.

The building was originally a school.

They originally planned to fix their old car, but they decided to buy a new one instead.

Originally, the word had a very different meaning from its current meaning.

a New Yorker who is originally from Mexico

She has shown an ability to think originally about ways to improve the company.

Recent Examples on the Web

Deadline reported in April 2024 that the show was originally cancelled due to a licensing issue between CBS and Sony. —Emily Blackwood, People.com, 17 May 2025

Update, May 17, 2025: This story, originally published May 16, has been updated with news of another successful Windows 11 hack at the Pwn2Own hacking event in Berlin. —Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 17 May 2025

Although it was originally conceived as a side salad, it is now frequently enjoyed as a dip (the heft of this mixture begs for sturdy corn chips, like Fritos) and as a lively condiment for topping tacos and other savory meals. —Libby Monteith Minor, Southern Living, 17 May 2025

Source: The National Weather Service This story was originally published May 17, 2025 at 9:03 AM. —Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 17 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

originally

adverb

orig·​i·​nal·​ly ə-ˈrij-ən-ᵊl-ē 

-nəl-ē

1

: in the beginning : in the first place

2

: in an original manner