originally

UK: /əˈrɪdʒ^ənəli/ US: /əˈrɪdʒənəli/ ,(ə rij′ə nl ē)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

o•rig•i•nal•ly /əˈrɪdʒənəli/   adv. 

1. by origin:
   My husband's family was originally French Canadian.
2. at first:
   Originally the book was going to be much longer.
3. in a way that is new or original.
See -ori-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

o•rig•i•nal•ly  (ə rij′ə nl ē), adv. 

1. with respect to origin;
   by origin:
   Originally he came from California.
2. at the origin;
   at first:
   Originally this was to be in three volumes.
3. in the first place;
   primarily:
   Originally nomads, they first learned agriculture from the missionaries.
4. in an original, novel, or distinctively individual manner:
   Originally planned houses are much in demand.
5. [Archaic.] from the beginning;
   from the first;
   inherently.

• original + -ly 1480–90

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

originally / əˈrɪdʒɪnəlɪ/ adverb

1. in the first place
2. in an original way
3. with reference to the origin or beginning