1
Core quality
Lacking originality, novelty, or independent invention.
Example
The conclusion is sound but largely unoriginal.
unoriginal
/ˌʌnəˈrɪdʒɪnəl/ · un-uh-RIJ-ih-nuladjective
Lacking originality, novelty, or independent invention.
Use unoriginal to express this relationship precisely: lacking originality, novelty, or independent invention.
What unoriginal Really Means
The word becomes easier to use when its closely related senses are separated and compared.
2
Attributive or predicative use
Use this adjective before a suitable noun or after a linking verb such as be or seem.
Example
Critics called the design unoriginal because it copied an earlier model.
3
Analytical distinction
Choose it when this exact descriptive quality matters; a related word may overlap without conveying the same trait.
Example
An unoriginal premise can still support a careful analysis.
Use unoriginal Naturally
Notice how the surrounding noun or clause reveals the exact shade of meaning.
The conclusion is sound but largely unoriginal.
Critics called the design unoriginal because it copied an earlier model.
An unoriginal premise can still support a careful analysis.
Precision Matters
Unoriginal overlaps with several common words, but each carries a different emphasis.
unoriginal
vs.Means lacking originality, novelty, or independent invention.
novel
Means new, original, or strikingly different from what has been known or used before.
unoriginal
vs.Means lacking originality, novelty, or independent invention.
inventive
Means creative, resourceful, and skilled at producing original ideas or solutions.
unoriginal
vs.Means lacking originality, novelty, or independent invention.
outmoded
Means no longer current, useful, or fashionable; outdated.
unoriginal
vs.Means lacking originality, novelty, or independent invention.
rudimentary
Means basic or elementary.
Test unoriginal in Context
The proposal contributes nothing new or independently inventive.
1
Because the proposal merely repeats last year's plan without modification, reviewers found it ___.