seminal
Other forms: seminally
Call something seminal when it's so original, so groundbreaking and awesome that it will influence everything that comes after it. Picasso produced more than a few seminal works of art, for example.
Technically, seminal means something related to semen or seeds. But these days people more often use the word to describe something that plants the seed for creative growth. An innovative piece of music or literature, a fresh new idea, or an invention that changes everything could each be called seminal. Synonyms include critical, fundamental, original, and primary.
-
containing seeds of later development“seminal ideas of one discipline can influence the growth of another”synonyms: germinal, originativeoriginalbeing or productive of something fresh and unusual; or being as first made or thought of
-
pertaining to or containing or consisting of semen
- MLA
- APA
- Chicago
Vocabulary lists containing seminal
We've scoured this week's entertainment news and rounded up our favorite vocab words from the stories that everyone's buzzing about.
Bryan Stevenson details his experiences as a defense attorney, focusing on the case of Walter McMillian, who insisted on his innocence even after he was sentenced to the death penalty. This book provides an eye-opening behind-the-scenes look at how the criminal justice system works — or doesn't.