groundbreaking

[ground-brey-king]

noun

1. the act or ceremony of breaking ground for a new construction project.

adjective

1. of or relating to such a ceremony.

2. originating or pioneering a new endeavor, field of inquiry, or the like.

   Pasteur's groundbreaking work in bacteriology.

Word History and Origins

Origin of groundbreaking¹

First recorded in 1905–10; ground ¹ + break + -ing ¹, -ing ²

Example Sentences

ChatGPT praised his math ideas as “groundbreaking,” and urged him to notify national security officials of his discovery, the suit says.

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During a recent visit, a lot that had been cleared for a groundbreaking ceremony in May was deserted, with plantations around it.

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For some reason, she’s convinced that Ghana will be some amazing, emotionally groundbreaking experience for me.

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“Here are my latest masterworks! Though I fear they are too groundbreaking to find favor with the general public.”

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For historians and archaeologists, it was a groundbreaking revelation, one that would rewrite a significant part of the history of the Bronze Age.

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Related Words

• innovative 
• revolutionary