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originel

original, primeval

adjective oh-ree-zhee-NEL Rare

Origin: Latin originalis, from origo (origin)

Also means

relating to origin

Usage Note

Originel is not the same as original, which in French usually means 'novel' or 'unique'; originel specifically refers to something from the very beginning, as in le péché originel ('original sin'). The feminine form is originelle. Use it when 'primordial' or 'primeval' is closer to your meaning than 'creative'.

Examples

"Le péché originel est un concept central."

Natural Translation

Original sin is a central concept.

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