Meaning
origin, derivation
In a sentence
Non so l'origine di questo strano rumore.
I don't know the origin of this strange noise.
Sai qual è l'origine di questa parola?
Do you know the origin of this word?
Il problema ha origine da un piccolo errore.
The problem originates from a small mistake.
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| origine | feminine · singular |
| origini | feminine · plural |
Usage notes
- Use origine for ancestry, source, or starting point; use inizio for the beginning of an event or period.
- Often followed by di: origine di un problema, di una parola. For someone's background, say di origine italiana.
- Common in formal and neutral contexts. Provenienza is more about place something comes from, especially goods or people.