original
ORIGINAL meaning: a source from which copies derive, or a distinctive creation; it scores 9 Scrabble points and has no one-letter neighbours.
Adjective 4 meanings
Relating to the origin or beginning; preceding all others.
“the original state of mankind; the original laws of a country; the original inventor of a process”
First in a series of copies or versions.
“The original manuscript contained spelling errors which were fixed in later versions.”
Newly created.
“Tonight we will hear an original work by one of our best composers.”
Fresh, different.
“The paper contains a number of original ideas about color perception.”
Noun 4 meanings
An object or other creation (e.g. narrative work) from which all later copies and variations are derived.
“This manuscript is the original.”
A person with a unique and interesting personality or creative talent.
A newly designed garment released by a fashion designer as part of a collection.
A ridgeling.
Etymology
From Middle English original, from Old French original, from Late Latin orīginālis (“primitive, original”), from Latin orīgō (“beginning, source, origin”), equivalent to origin + -al; see origin.
Similar and opposite words
ORIGINAL is a familiar eight-letter word for something that comes before copies, but it also describes a person with distinctive character or creative talent. The same word names a newly designed garment in a fashion collection, plus a less familiar sense: a ridgeling. Its letters sort to AGIILNOR, and their tile values add up to 9 points.
At a glance: ORIGINAL facts
- ORIGINAL has eight letters and scores 9 points before board bonuses.
- Seven tiles are worth 1 point each; G supplies the remaining 2.
- No anagrams or one-letter neighbours appear in its word-game results.
- Its rhyming set has 12 entries, from FINAL to INTERNATIONAL.
ORIGINAL meaning and definition
The core sense of ORIGINAL is a source text, object, or creation from which later copies and variations come. A novel's first edition is an original; reproductions depend on it.
ORIGINAL can also describe a person whose personality or creative talent feels distinctive. In fashion, it names a newly designed garment released as part of a collection, shifting the meaning from source to new design.
One dictionary sense is narrower: a ridgeling. That specialized meaning sits beside everyday uses, which fits a word marked as common. The familiar senses are much more likely to appear in ordinary conversation.
How does ORIGINAL score in Scrabble?
ORIGINAL scores 9 points before premium squares: seven 1-point tiles plus G at 2. G is the only tile worth more than 1, so the word's base total comes from a balanced set rather than a single big scorer.
For a long play, count each tile before adding board bonuses. A double-letter square under G adds more than one under a 1-point tile; a word multiplier then applies to the full tile sum.
The rhyme set follows the ending sound in NAL. FINAL and JOURNAL are short, familiar examples, while NATIONAL and INTERNATIONAL share a longer ending. PERSONAL, REGIONAL, and EMOTIONAL also rhyme with ORIGINAL.
Use those rhymes for sound-based wordplay, not as anagram candidates: ORIGINAL has no anagrams and no one-letter neighbours in its word-game results. Check your game's word list before a tournament play.
Rhymes with original
All rhymes- NATIONAL8
- INTERNATIONAL13
- FINAL8
- PERSONAL10
- PROFESSIONAL17
- ADDITIONAL12
- TRADITIONAL12
- JOURNAL14
- CRIMINAL12
- REGIONAL9
- EMOTIONAL11
- INTERNAL8
Questions people ask
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