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unoriginally

unoriginally

6.5
In a way that shows no new or creative ideas
  • adverb
  • /ˌʌnəˈrɪdʒənəli/
translation icon : de manera poco original
  • She designed her dress unoriginally, using a popular pattern everyone had seen before.

Examples

  • Fate, I observe somewhat unoriginally, is a funny thing—in both the strange and the ha-ha flavors.

    Blog text (12)
  • PhotonX, I'm not sure if you're aware that I wrote a book a few years ago on the UFO phenomenon, somewhat unoriginally titled The UFO Phenomenon.

    Blog text (4)
  • The author wrote unoriginally, rehashing the same ideas without adding any new perspective.

  • His presentation was delivered unoriginally, relying heavily on clichéd phrases and common examples.

Synonyms

unimaginatively
vsunoriginally
1 6.2

In a dull way without new ideas

stresses lack of newness or novelty rather than just imagination
tritely
vsunoriginally
1 7.0

In a dull, overused way that feels predictable

focuses on lacking new creative value rather than just reuse
banally
vsunoriginally
7.3

In an ordinary and boring way

highlights absence of new creative approach rather than simple boredom
insipidly
vsunoriginally
8.3

In a way that shows no interest or energy and is very dull

refers to absence of new creative content rather than low energy

How Original

innovatively
1 4.6
creatively
41 3.5
unoriginally
6.5
derivatively
1 7.5

Surface Forms

unoriginally positive

Morphology

unoriginally = unoriginal (transparent) = un + original + ly

Formed by adding the adverbial suffix '-ly' to 'unoriginal'; the sense 'in a not-original way' is directly predictable from its parts.

Etymology

Unoriginally breaks into un- meaning 'not' and original, which comes from an old Latin word origo meaning 'beginning' or 'first'. So to do something unoriginally is to do it 'not in a new way' — to repeat what others have done, and that is why the word means lacking new ideas.