groundbreaking
Americannoun
adjective
-
of or relating to such a ceremony.
-
originating or pioneering a new endeavor, field of inquiry, or the like.
Pasteur's groundbreaking work in bacteriology.
Etymology
Origin of groundbreaking
First recorded in 1905–10; ground 1 + break + -ing 1, -ing 2
Explanation
Something groundbreaking is brand new, important, and original, like groundbreaking research that proves your cat really does love you. As a noun, groundbreaking is the traditional way of marking the very first day of a building project, when the ground is officially "broken," either literally with a shovel or figuratively. You could even attend the groundbreaking of a groundbreaking new hotel that's heated and cooled with sustainable geothermal energy. This word comes from the phrase to break ground, originally used to describe both construction and planting crops.
Vocabulary lists containing groundbreaking
Kwame Crashes the Underworld
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The Ice Cream Machine
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Ida B
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
For more than 30 years, the Hubble Space Telescope has transformed our view of the universe through groundbreaking discoveries.
From Science Daily • Jul. 5, 2026
At the Micron groundbreaking in January, Republican Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon celebrated the bipartisanship that allowed what he called a “red, white and blue” day.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 30, 2026
“I’m not saying this is groundbreaking and nothing like L.A.’s ever seen before, but I do know that there are people who have been waiting for this to happen.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 29, 2026
It’s his version of and homage to the innovative work of groundbreaking environmental artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 20, 2026
The plan was to get the site cleared before bringing in the VIPs and the media for the official gala groundbreaking ceremony.
From "Hoot" by Carl Hiaasen
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
