seminal

[ sem-uh-nl ]
/ ˈsɛm ə nl /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR seminal ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

pertaining to, containing, or consisting of semen.
Botany. of or relating to seed.
having possibilities of future development.
highly original and influencing the development of future events: a seminal artist; seminal ideas.

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Origin of seminal

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin sēminālis, equivalent to sēmin- (stem of sēmen) seed, semen + -ālis -al1

OTHER WORDS FROM seminal

sem·i·nal·i·ty, nounsem·i·nal·ly, adverbin·ter·sem·i·nal, adjectivepre·sem·i·nal, adjective

Words nearby seminal

semimatte, semimembranous, semimicroanalysis, semiminor axis, semimonthly, seminal, seminal colliculus, seminal duct, seminal fluid, seminal gland, seminal granule
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to seminal

influential, critical, crucial, fundamental, important, original, primary

Example sentences from the Web for seminal

British Dictionary definitions for seminal

seminal
/ (ˈsɛmɪnəl) /

adjective

potentially capable of development
highly original, influential, and important
rudimentary or unformed
of or relating to semenseminal fluid
biology of or relating to seed

Derived forms of seminal

seminality, nounseminally, adverb

Word Origin for seminal

C14: from Late Latin sēminālis belonging to seed, from Latin sēmen seed
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for seminal

seminal
[ sĕm′ə-nəl ]

adj.

Of, relating to, containing, or conveying semen or seed.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.