What does originality mean?
Word: Originality
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Originality means the quality of being new and different, not copied from anything else; also the ability to think up fresh ideas.
Synonyms: freshness, novelty
How do you spell originality?
Syllables: o - rig - i - nal - i - ty
Tricky part: The l in the middle is single. In a long word where the l sits between two vowels, many students double it by mistake.
Watch out for: originallity, orriginality
Memory tip: Fresh ideas arrive one at a time, and so does the l in this word: just one.
Originality in a sentence
Example 1: Mr Fernandes gives extra marks for originality in the science fair projects.
Example 2: The band's music has an originality that makes it stand out from the rest.
Example 3: Kenji showed real originality when he turned old bottle caps into a chess set.
Fun Fact
The word goes back to Latin origo, meaning source or beginning, so a work with originality seems to come fresh from its own source rather than from a copy.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell-o-Spell
One word in the list is misspelt. Choose what that word means.
1. origenality 2. exhibition 3. masterpiece 4. sculptor
a) a public show of paintings or other objects
b) an artist who makes figures from stone, wood or metal
c) a work of art made with very great skill
d) the quality of having fresh ideas of your own that nobody has had before
Show answer
d) the quality of having fresh ideas of your own that nobody has had before. Origenality has an e where the i belongs after the g.
Word Connection
Choose the word closest in meaning to originality as used in the sentence:
The judges praised the originality of Kenji's short story, which had a twist nobody expected.
a) inventiveness
b) predictability
c) imitation
d) tidiness
Show answer
a) inventiveness. A twist nobody expected shows inventiveness; imitation and predictability are close to the opposite.
Word Cookie
Insert the correct pair of letters to form a word:
origin_lit_
a) e, i
b) a, y
c) a, i
d) e, y
Show answer
b) a, y. The vowel after origin is a, and the word ends in y, like ability and quality.
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
originnality
a) r
b) g
c) t
d) n
Show answer
d) n. One n is enough: the word grows out of origin, which has a single n at the end.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of these shows the greatest originality?
a) copying a recipe exactly from a cookbook
b) tracing a map carefully from an atlas
c) inventing a board game with your own rules
d) learning a well-known poem by heart
Show answer
c) inventing a board game with your own rules
2. A film critic says a new film "lacks originality". She most likely means the film ____.
a) is far too long to enjoy
b) was filmed in black and white
c) has poor sound in places
d) feels like many films seen before
Show answer
d) feels like many films seen before
