Originality refers to something being new or novel. It is not received from others nor copied from the creations of others. The word is often applied in an admiring fashion to the creations of artists, writers and thinkers. Originality is highly regarded in most western cultures. Conversely, some eastern cultures abhorred originality.

In United States patent law, only original inventions are subject to protection - with the caveat that an invention may be original if a previous inventor had developed the same thing but not made it public, or had developed it in another country and not introduced it into the U.S. In addition to being original, inventions submitted for a patent must also be useful and nonobvious. The United States of America — also referred to as the United States, the U.S.A., the U.S., America¹, the States, or (archaically) Columbia — is a federal republic of 50 states located primarily in central North America (with the exception of two states: Alaska and Hawaii). ... A patent is a set of exclusive rights granted by a government to an inventor or applicant for a limited amount of time (normally maximum 20 years from the filing date, depending on extension). ... In music, an invention is a short composition with two or three part counterpoint. ...

In United Kingdom intellectual property law, a derived work can demonstrate originality, and must do so if it is to respect copyright. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country in western Europe, and a member of the British Commonwealth and European Union. ... In law, particularly in common law jurisdictions, intellectual property is a form of legal entitlement which allows its holder to control the use of certain intangible ideas and expressions. ... This article needs cleanup. ...