Ab origine refers to the primal starting point of something, whether a civilization, a tradition, a poem, or existence itself. In poetry, it is invoked in creation myths, foundational epics, and meditations on origins. The phrase carries an archaic, authoritative resonance, linking the present moment to its deepest historical or cosmological roots. Poets use it to establish grandeur, trace lineage, or reflect on the nature of beginnings.

Ab origine should be distinguished from ab initio (from the beginning), which tends to be used in more formal, legal, or scientific contexts. Ab origine has a deeper, more mythological resonance, suggesting not merely a starting point but a primal source from which all subsequent development flows. The English word aboriginal derives from this Latin phrase, connecting it to questions of indigenous identity and the ethics of origin narratives that are central to much postcolonial poetry. Students exploring foundational or creation poems should consider what the poet's choice of origin point implies: beginning ab origine from myth implies a different relationship to history than beginning from a documented historical event. The phrase also connects to the concept of the arche in Greek philosophy — the original, governing principle from which all things derive.