groundbreaking

American  

[ground-brey-king] / ˈgraʊndˌbreɪ kɪŋ /

noun

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

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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.

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.

Example Sentences

Our study provides this foundation, and we’re proud that it’s been published in the same journal in which Charles Darwin first shared his groundbreaking ideas.

From Science Daily • May 21, 2026

Isaacson is a so-called super-responder to GLP-1s, and his experience sheds light on how these groundbreaking drugs work differently in different people.

From MarketWatch • May 18, 2026

Also on the schedule: the re-creation of two of Ono’s groundbreaking performance art works, including 1964’s iconic “Cut Piece,” which Ono originally performed in Kyoto and Tokyo, before staging its American debut at Carnegie Hall.

From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2026

Head keeper Jess Brown said the birth of Atty was "groundbreaking, not just for Edinburgh Zoo, but for Scotland".

From BBC • May 12, 2026

For years, it wasn’t clear who had written the groundbreaking pamphlets.

From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield

Related Words

• innovative
• revolutionary