original

[[t]ərɪ̱ʤɪn(ə)l[/t]]

♦♦

originals

1) ADJ: det ADJ You use original when referring to something that existed at the beginning of a process or activity, or the characteristics that something had when it began or was made.

The original plan was to hold an indefinite stoppage...

The inhabitants have voted overwhelmingly to restore the city's original name of Chemnitz.

2) N-COUNT If something such as a document, a work of art, or a piece of writing is an original, it is not a copy or a later version.

When you have filled in the questionnaire, copy it and send the original to your employer...

For once the sequel is as good as the original.

Ant:

copy

3) ADJ: usu ADJ n An original document or work of art is not a copy.

...an original movie poster.

Syn:

genuine

4) ADJ: usu ADJ n An original piece of writing or music was written recently and has not been published or performed before.

...its policy of commissioning original work.

...with catchy original songs by Richard Warner.

5) ADJ-GRADED (approval) If you describe someone or their work as original, you mean that they are very imaginative and have new ideas.

It is one of the most original works of imagination in the language.

...an original writer.

...a chef with an original touch and a measure of inspiration.

Syn:

creative

Derived words:

originality [[t]ərɪ̱ʤɪnæ̱lɪti[/t]] N-UNCOUNT

He was capable of writing things of startling originality.

6) PHRASE: PHR after v If you read or sing something in the original or, for example, in the original French, you read or sing it in the language it was written in, rather than a translation.

He read every book or author it deals with, often in the original...

The texts were sung in the original Italian.