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

It’s one of the truly seminal events of the computer age.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026

As Mr. McGurn observes, it’s ironic that Pope Leo, previously an Augustinian friar, disregards the seminal work on just-war philosophy by his order’s namesake.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 15, 2026

"This is nothing less than another seminal moment in global supply chain history," Jean-Martin Bauer, the director of WFP's food and nutrition analysis service, told reporters in Geneva.

From Barron's • Mar. 10, 2026

Singapore is managed in a way that "excludes accident and randomness", he wrote in Singapore Songlines, his seminal essay on the city's rapid makeover.

From BBC • Mar. 7, 2026

Alexis de Tocqueville is famous for his seminal book Democracy in America, but what is less well known is his original purpose in coming to the United States.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover

Related Words

• influential