Originary

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Concerning the genesis or foundation of an entity, it denotes the essential attributes arising from its initial inception or starting point
2. Pertaining to something's initial state or source, it refers to the inherent qualities that emerge from its primal origins or first instance
3. Relating to the original source or beginning, it signifies the fundamental characteristics that arise from something's earliest phase or inception

Etymology: "Originary" is one of those English adjectives that sounds like it should be older than it is, since it is built from the same root as "origin." It comes from the Latin "orīginārius," meaning belonging to the origin or source, and the English form carries that sense straight across: something originary is of the beginning, not merely early in time. The Latin base, "origo" (genitive "originis"), meant source, birth, or beginning, and it gave English "origin" as well. The "-ary" ending comes from the Latin "-ārius" suffix, which marks a connection to or belonging to something, the same ending seen in "dictionary" or "military." So the word is essentially a Latin suffix attached to a Latin noun, with the meaning intact.

Synonyms: original, primary

Antonyms: derivative