n. 1 a beginning or starting-point; a derivation; a source (a word of Latin origin). 2 (often in pl.) a person's ancestry (what are his origins?). 3 Anat. a a place at which a muscle is firmly attached. b a place where a nerve or blood vessel begins or branches from a main nerve or blood vessel. 4 Math. a fixed point from which coordinates are measured.
[ F origine or f. L origo -ginis f. oriri rise ]