When you say what happened or was the case originally, you are saying what happened or was the case when something began or came into existence, often to contrast it with what happened later.
The plane has been kept in service far longer than originally intended.
France originally refused to sign the treaty.
The castle was originally surrounded by a triple wall, only one of which remains.
Synonyms: initially, first, firstly, at first More Synonyms of originally
originally in British English
(əˈrɪdʒɪnəlɪ)
adverb
1.
in the first place
2.
in an original way
3.
with reference to the origin or beginning
originally in American English
(əˈrɪdʒɪnəli)
adverb
1.
with reference to origin, or beginning
2.
in the first place; initially
3.
in an independent or new way
Examples of 'originally' in a sentence
originally
He had not originally planned to do this.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
They were originally intended for temporary storage and some of them are degrading.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
He said that he had originally only been thinking about staying for the full eight-year term.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Originally intended as a temporary sound for an early screening, it impressed so much that it stayed in.
The Sun (2016)
We're using it for neurological inflammation, something it was not originally designed for.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
These systems and application code were originally designed 20 or 25 years ago to be accessed by that company’s own sales and service staff.
Computing (2010)
It was originally intended to cure hysteria.
The Sun (2014)
The technology was originally designed to transport apples and pears in orchards.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Below are drugs found to be useful for battling illnesses they were not originally intended for.
The Sun (2015)
She originally signed for four episodes.
The Sun (2006)
The plans were originally due in January and then again this month.
The Sun (2016)
The final irony is that the Hollywood sign was originally installed to draw attention to the area.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Originally they signed for only a one-off slot.
The Sun (2012)
Finally you are on the tariff you originally signed up for last November.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
I think they were originally more suspicious of us than the other way round.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
It was quite crazy because I originally planned to attempt a very similar thing around the time.
The Sun (2013)
I think the plan originally was for the whole team to join the protest but in the end we decided to do it ourselves.
The Sun (2012)
Management was originally intended simply to fulfil the express directions of the shareholders, not to make company policy on its own and virtually without consultation.
Hirst, Paul After Thatcher (1989)
It was originally intended to raise 2.5 billion a year and hits assets funded with short-term debt.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
She had originally planned on retiring in 2012 but stayed on to fulfil her Olympic dream.
The Sun (2014)
Originally my thinking must have been something like: "What if the seminars do not take off?
Munro, Bill Dr. & Munro, Frances Beat Stress (1992)
He had originally planned the trip with his girlfriend, the couple hoping to make a documentary about the places and people they encountered on the way.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Running along a disused railway line for 1.45 miles, it was originally designed to carry freight from the docks.
The Sun (2015)
The tasks came from a US team, who originally designed them for astronauts and university cognitive tests.
The Sun (2014)
In other languages
originally
British English: originally /əˈrɪdʒɪnəlɪ/ ADVERB
When you say what happened or was the case originally, you are saying what happened or was the case when something began or came into existence, often to contrast it with what happened later.
They originally refused to sign the treaty.
American English: originally
Arabic: فِي الْأَصْلِ
Brazilian Portuguese: originalmente
Chinese: 最初
Croatian: izvorno
Czech: původně
Danish: oprindeligt
Dutch: oorspronkelijk
European Spanish: originalmente
Finnish: alun perin
French: à l’origine
German: ursprünglich
Greek: αρχικά
Italian: originariamente
Japanese: 初めは
Korean: 원래는
Norwegian: opprinnelig
Polish: oryginalnie
European Portuguese: originalmente
Romanian: inițial
Russian: первоначально
Latin American Spanish: originalmente
Swedish: ursprungligen
Thai: โดยแรกเริ่ม
Turkish: başlangıç olarak
Ukrainian: спочатку
Vietnamese: lúc đầu
Chinese translation of 'originally'
originally
(əˈrɪdʒɪnəlɪ)
adv
(= at first) 起初 (qǐchū)
(adverb)
The castle was originally surrounded by a moat.
Synonyms
initially
Initially, they were wary of us.
first
I do not remember who spoke first.
firstly
Firstly, vitamin C is needed for hormone production.
at first
primarily
These machines were primarily intended for use in editing.
at the start
in the first place
to begin with
It was great to begin with but now it's difficult.
at the outset
in the beginning
in the early stages
Additional synonyms
in the sense of first
Definition
before anything else
I do not remember who spoke first.
Synonyms
to begin with,
firstly,
initially,
at the beginning,
in the first place,
beforehand,
to start with,
at the outset,
before all else
in the sense of firstly
Firstly, vitamin C is needed for hormone production.
Synonyms
in the first place,
initially,
to begin with,
to start with,
before all else
in the sense of primarily
Definition
originally
These machines were primarily intended for use in editing.
Synonyms
at first,
originally,
initially,
in the first place,
in the beginning,
first and foremost,
at or from the start
Synonyms of 'originally'
originally
Explore 'originally' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of to begin with
It was great to begin with but now it's difficult.