seminal

American  

[sem-uh-nl] / ˈsɛm ə nl /

adjective

1. pertaining to, containing, or consisting of semen.

2. Botany. of or relating to seed.

3. having possibilities of future development.

4. highly original and influencing the development of future events.

   a seminal artist; seminal ideas.

   Synonyms:

   innovative, formative, primary, germinal

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seminal British  

/ ˈsɛmɪnəl /

adjective

1. potentially capable of development

2. highly original, influential, and important

3. rudimentary or unformed

4. of or relating to semen

   seminal fluid

5. biology of or relating to seed

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Other Word Forms

• interseminal adjective
• preseminal adjective
• seminality noun
• seminally adverb

Etymology

Origin of seminal

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin sēminālis, equivalent to sēmin- (stem of sēmen ) seed, semen + -ālis -al ¹

Example Sentences

Originally airing from 1998 to 2003, “Dawson’s Creek” was a seminal teen drama that followed four friends growing up in a small coastal town as they navigated their dreams, relationships and various coming-of-age milestones.

From Los Angeles Times

He says it was a seminal moment in his life and one that set the course for decades of his military career, as Germany joined the U.S. in its global war on terror.

From The Wall Street Journal

CEO Andy Jassy said there are seminal opportunities in things like artificial intelligence, chips, robotics, and low earth orbit satellites, and they anticipate a strong long-term return on invested capital.

From Barron's

The seminal study of the phenomenon was published in the Journal of Finance in 1993.

From MarketWatch

He left behind a seminal 37-volume encyclopedia, the “Natural History,” and the surviving letters of his nephew paint a colorful portrait of a workaholic who rarely slept.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• influential