Original Sin: Meaning, Usage, Collocations, and Examples

Original Sin (pronounced: /əˈrɪdʒɪnəl sɪn/) is a theological concept, especially in Christianity, describing the fallen state of human nature inherited from Adam and Eve after their disobedience in the Garden of Eden. It teaches that all humans are born with a tendency toward sin and moral weakness.

Easy Explanation

“Original Sin” means the first sin in the Bible—when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit. According to Christian belief, this sin affects all people, giving everyone a natural pull toward wrongdoing, even before they choose to act.

Grammatical Formation

Noun phrase: original (first, beginning) + sin (moral wrongdoing).
Related forms: doctrine of original sin, inheritance of original sin.

Word Comparisons

Original Sin vs. personal sin: original sin = inherited from birth; personal sin = chosen by an individual.
Original Sin vs. concupiscence: concupiscence = the desire toward sin; original sin = the condition of sinfulness inherited at birth.
Original Sin vs. actual sin: actual = specific sinful acts; original = the state of sinfulness itself.

Connotations

Religious: human weakness, spiritual corruption, inherited guilt.
Figurative: the first cause of wrongdoing, flaw at the root of humanity.

Meaning with Prepositions

Original Sin in: Original Sin in Christian doctrine.
Original Sin of: the Original Sin of Adam and Eve.
Original Sin for: baptism as a remedy for Original Sin for believers.

Real-Life Examples

According to Catholicism, baptism washes away Original Sin.
St. Augustine developed the doctrine of Original Sin in depth.
Some modern theologians see Original Sin as symbolic of human selfishness.
Original Sin explains why humans are inclined to wrongdoing.

Synonyms

inherited sin, fall of man, sinful nature, inherited guilt, human depravity

Antonyms

innocence, purity, virtue, sinlessness, divine grace

Related Terms

Fall of Man – the biblical story of Adam and Eve’s disobedience.
Concupiscence – strong sinful desire linked to Original Sin.
Baptism – ritual believed to cleanse Original Sin in Christian traditions.
Depravity – moral corruption of humanity.

Common Collocations

doctrine of Original Sin
inherit Original Sin
Original Sin washed away
Original Sin and baptism
Original Sin in theology

Idiomatic and Figurative Usage

Original Sin of humanity: basic flaw in human nature.
Original Sin of society: metaphor for a deep-rooted social evil (e.g., slavery called America’s “original sin”).
Original Sin of desire: passion seen as humanity’s weakness.

Sample Sentences

The Church teaches that all humans are marked by Original Sin.
Some Protestant traditions emphasize salvation as a release from Original Sin.
He referred to greed as the original sin of modern economics.
Original Sin explains why people struggle between good and evil.

Connection to Sexuality

Yes, indirectly. In theology, Original Sin is often associated with concupiscence (disordered desire), which includes sexual lust as a major expression of human weakness. Historically, sexuality outside of marriage has been seen as linked to Original Sin.

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