■ adjective
1》 existing from the beginning; first or earliest.
2》 created personally by a particular artist, writer, etc.; not a copy.
3》 inventive or novel.
■ noun
1》 the earliest form of something, from which copies can be made.
↘( the ~ ) the language in which something was first written.
2》 an eccentric or unusual person.
Derivatives
~ity noun
~ly adverb
Origin
ME: from OFr., or from L. ~is , from origin- (see origin ).