Dictionary

originality en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /əˌɹɪd͡ʒɪˈnælɪti/

Etymology

From French originalité. By surface analysis, original + -ity.

Meanings

1. (uncountable) The quality of being original or novel.
   • The space at my disposal does not permit me to go into Mr. Bulleid's paper in detail, but it is impossible to refrain from an expression of admiration at the originality that has been packed into this outstanding design. 1946 March and April, Cecil J. Allen, “British Locomotive Practice and Performance”, in Railway Magazine, pages 105–106:
2. (uncountable) The capacity to think independently or be inventive.
   • Originality may be the capacity to look at the same facts and see new explanations. 2004, Richard Fortey, The Earth, Folio Society, published 2011, page 132:
   • This story of how American originality lost its way is arresting and well told. On an alternate timeline without Donald Trump in office dismantling the American scientific establishment and Elon Musk kneecapping the American state, it might have been the manifesto of a new politics. 2025 March 18, Samuel Moyn, “Can Democrats Learn to Dream Big Again?”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 27 Mar 2025:
3. (countable) Something original.
   • This houses a waiting room and gentlemen's toilets which, despite some new sanitary fittings in early BR days, fell out of use over 40 years ago, becoming dilapidated - and so remained as the only room on the station to retain its originality. 2021 December 15, Robin Leleux, “Awards honour the best restoration projects: The Railway Heritage Trust Conservation Award: Newcastle Central”, in RAIL, number 946, page 59:
4. (uncountable) The original state or condition of a thing.
   • Church Street has been reclaimed from vendors who had encroached every bit of pedestrian walk. BBMP evicted more than 70 of them and restored to its originality. 2024 October 12, @bykarthikreddy, Twitter:

Forms

Deriveds

unoriginality · threshold of originality

Translations (39)

he חדשנות (the capacity to think independently or be inventive) · fi omaperäisyys (the quality of being original or novel) · ro originalitate (the capacity to think independently or be inventive) · bg оригиналност (the quality of being original or novel) · de Originalität (something original) · es originalidad (something original) · eu originaltasun (the quality of being original or novel) · he מקוריות (the quality of being original or novel) · ca originalitat (the quality of being original or novel) · de Originalität (the quality of being original or novel) · uk оригіна́льність (the quality of being original or novel) · bg оригиналност (the capacity to think independently or be inventive) · gl orixinalidade (the quality of being original or novel) · ast orixinalidá (the quality of being original or novel) · ast orixinalidá (something original) · tr orijinalite (the quality of being original or novel) · pt originalidade (something original) · ro originalitate (the quality of being original or novel) · he מקוריות (the capacity to think independently or be inventive) · la orīginālitās (the quality of being original or novel) · fr originalité (the quality of being original or novel) · tr özgünlük (the capacity to think independently or be inventive) · fi omaleimaisuus (the quality of being original or novel) · ca originalitat (something original) · ru нова́торство (the quality of being original or novel) · tl orihinalidad (the quality of being original or novel) · tl orihinalidad (the capacity to think independently or be inventive) · hu eredetiség (the quality of being original or novel) · fi omintakeisuus (the quality of being original or novel) · pl oryginalność (the quality of being original or novel) · it originalità (the quality of being original or novel) · pt originalidade (the capacity to think independently or be inventive) · es originalidad (the quality of being original or novel) · be арыгіна́льнасць (the quality of being original or novel) · pt originalidade (the quality of being original or novel) · oc originalitat (the quality of being original or novel) · tr orijinalite (the capacity to think independently or be inventive) · de Originalität (the capacity to think independently or be inventive) · ru оригина́льность (the quality of being original or novel)