being or productive of something fresh and unusual; or being as first made or thought of; a truly original approach; with original music; an original mind'

an original creation (i.e., an audio recording) from which copies can be made

[ Syn: master , master copy ]

something that serves as a model or a basis for making copies; this painting is a copy of the original

[ Syn: archetype , pilot ]

preceding all others in time or being as first made or performed; the original inhabitants of the Americas; the book still has its original binding; restored the house to its original condition; the original performance of the opera; the original cast; retracted his original statement'

(of e.g. information) not secondhand or by way of something intermediary; his work is based on only original, not secondary, sources'

not derived or copied or translated from something else; the play is original; not an adaptation; he kept the original copy and gave her only a xerox; the translation misses much of the subtlety of the original French'