origine

origin

noun oh-ree-ZHEEN Less Common

Also means

background

Usage Note

Origine covers geographical origin (pays d'origine), ethnic background (d'origine africaine), and the starting point of something. The plural origines often refers to ancestry or roots. À l'origine means 'originally' and functions as an adverbial phrase.

Examples

"Quelle est l'origine de ce mot?"

Natural Translation

What is the origin of this word?

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