unoriginal thought

[/ˌʌnəˈrɪdʒɪnəl θɔːt/]
nounpl: unoriginal thoughts
pensamento não original
1. An idea, concept, or mental expression that lacks originality, creativity, or novelty; a thought that is derivative, common, or previously conceived by others
His essay was filled with unoriginal thoughts that he had simply copied from online sources.
Seu ensaio estava repleto de pensamentos não originais que ele havia simplesmente copiado de fontes online.
2. A conventional or banal idea that follows established patterns of thinking without introducing new perspectives
The presentation offered nothing but unoriginal thoughts about marketing strategies.
A apresentação oferecia nada além de pensamentos não originais sobre estratégias de marketing.
In both Brazilian and American academic contexts, unoriginal thoughts are heavily criticized and associated with academic dishonesty. In Brazil, the concept is particularly emphasized in university settings where plagiarism and lack of originality are serious offenses. The term is often used in critical discussions of academic work, creative writing, and intellectual discourse to distinguish between innovative contributions and derivative work.
NYC Slang
tired thought, played-out idea, rehashed concept
Synonyms / Sinônimos
hackneyed thoughtcommonplace ideaderivative thoughttrite notionborrowed ideaconventional thinking
Antonyms / Antônimos
original thoughtinnovative ideacreative thinkingnovel conceptgroundbreaking idea

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
pensamento não original
Standard usage across Brazil
São Paulo
pensamento sem originalidade / ideia batida
Common in academic and professional contexts
Rio de Janeiro
pensamento banal / coisa batida
More colloquial usage
Portugal
pensamento não original / ideia comum
Similar to Brazilian Portuguese but may use 'vulgar' for banal

Related Words

plagiarismclichéimitationcreativitynoveltyoriginality

Related Idioms & Phrases

nothing new under the sun
beating a dead horse
preaching to the choir
old hat
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →