noun
1 time/place/reason that sth starts
ADJECTIVE
▪ common
▪ independent
▪ doubtful ( esp. BrE ), obscure , unknown
▪
a letter of doubtful ~
▪ true
▪ ancient , early
▪ recent
▪
The term ‘carbon footprint’ is of very recent ~.
▪ immediate
▪
The development had its immediate ~s in discussions with management.
▪ African , English , etc.
▪ foreign
▪ local
▪ mixed
▪ natural
▪ supernatural
▪ evolutionary , geographical , historical , intellectual
▪ animal , human , plant
▪
foods of animal ~
▪
We shouldn't forget our animal ~s.
VERB + ORIGIN
▪ have , share
▪
The vases share common ~s.
▪ investigate , trace
▪ owe
▪
Population genetics owes its ~ to Francis Galton.
▪ explain
▪ reflect
▪ suggest
▪
The name suggests a possible African ~.
ORIGIN + VERB
▪ go back to sth , lie in sth
▪
The ~s of the city go back to the 10th century.
PREPOSITION
▪ in ~
▪
The rock is volcanic in ~.
▪ of … ~
▪
a painting of unknown ~
PHRASES
▪ country of ~ , place of ~
▪
The label tells you the country of ~.
▪ have its ~ in sth
▪
The custom has its ~ in an ancient festival.
2 family, race, class, etc, that a person comes from
ADJECTIVE
▪ African , English , etc.
▪ foreign
▪ mixed
▪ class , ethnic , national , racial , social
▪ middle-class , noble , peasant , slave , working-class
▪ humble , lowly
▪
He had risen from humble ~s through hard work.
VERB + ORIGIN
▪ trace
▪
Their family can trace its ~s back to the Norman Conquest.
▪ betray
▪
Her accent betrayed her working-class ~s.
PREPOSITION
▪ by ~
▪
He is a Londoner by ~.
▪ in ~
▪
Her family is Portuguese in ~.
▪ of … ~
▪
He was of humble ~s.
PHRASES
▪ sb's country of ~