How to pronounce origin
Say it like OR-uh-jun. Origin has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (OR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce origin. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- OR
- uh
- jun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Origin pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ORSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- junKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of origin
American and British speakers say origin in essentially the same way: /ˈɔrədʒən/ in the US and /ˈɒrɪdʒɪn/ in the UK.
British respelling: OR-ih-jin.
What does origin mean?
- the place where something begins, where it springs into being“the Italian beginning of the Renaissance”“Jupiter was the origin of the radiation”
- properties attributable to your ancestry“he comes from good origins”
- an event that is a beginning; a first part or stage of subsequent events
Where does origin come from?
From Middle English origine, origyne, from Old French origine, orine, ourine, from Latin orīgō (“beginning, source, birth, origin”), from orior (“to rise”); see orient.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying origin
How do you pronounce origin?
Say OR-uh-jun. The American pronunciation is /ˈɔrədʒən/. In British English it is /ˈɒrɪdʒɪn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in origin?
Origin has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (OR). Broken into parts: OR · uh · jun.
Do Americans and Brits say origin the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈɔrədʒən/ and the British form is /ˈɒrɪdʒɪn/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.