Unoriginal: meaning, definitions and examples

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unoriginal

 

[ ˌʌnəˈrɪdʒɪnl ]

Adjective / Noun
Context #1 | Adjective

lack of originality

Not original; derived from something else; lacking originality or freshness.

Synonyms

derivative, imitative, uncreative, uninspired

Examples of usage

  • His work was criticized for being unoriginal and derivative.
  • The movie was unoriginal, following the same tired plotline as countless others.
  • She was disappointed by the unoriginality of the design.
Context #2 | Noun

person who lacks originality

A person who lacks originality or creativity; someone who copies or imitates others.

Synonyms

copycat, imitator, plagiarist

Examples of usage

  • He was dismissed as an unoriginal by critics who accused him of copying other artists.
  • She was considered an unoriginal in the fashion industry for constantly imitating trends.

Translations

Translations of the word "unoriginal" in other languages:

🇵🇹 não original

🇮🇳 मौलिक नहीं

🇩🇪 unoriginell

🇮🇩 tidak orisinal

🇺🇦 неоригінальний

🇵🇱 nieoryginalny

🇯🇵 独創的でない

🇫🇷 non original

🇪🇸 no original

🇹🇷 orijinal olmayan

🇰🇷 독창적이지 않은

🇸🇦 غير أصلي

🇨🇿 neoriginální

🇸🇰 neoriginálny

🇨🇳 非原创

🇸🇮 neizviren

🇮🇸 ófrumlegt

🇰🇿 түпнұсқалы емес

🇬🇪 არაორიგინალური

🇦🇿 orijinal olmayan

🇲🇽 no original

Etymology

The word 'unoriginal' originates from the prefix 'un-' meaning 'not' and the word 'original' meaning 'first, earliest'. It first appeared in the English language in the early 19th century. The concept of originality has long been valued in creative fields, and the term 'unoriginal' is used to critique works that lack innovation or creativity.

See also: unoriginality, unoriginally.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #35,362, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.