seminal

[ sem-uh-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

seminal

/ 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

Derived Forms

• ˈseminally, adverb
• ˌsemiˈnality, noun

Other Words From

• semi·nali·ty noun
• semi·nal·ly adverb
• inter·semi·nal adjective
• pre·semi·nal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of seminal¹

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin sēminālis, equivalent to sēmin- (stem of sēmen ) seed, semen + -ālis -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of seminal¹

C14: from Late Latin sēminālis belonging to seed, from Latin sēmen seed

Example Sentences

My Chemical Romance will perform its seminal 2006 album ‘The Black Parade’ in its entirety on a 10-stop stadium tour next summer.

From Los Angeles Times

Lili Anolik turns a cache of letters between Joan Didion and Eve Babitz into a book about the unlikely friendship between two seminal L.A. writers before they went their separate ways.

From Los Angeles Times

Producers Gareth Neame and Nigel Marchant, who helm Carnival Films, acquired the rights through a deal with Universal, but were reluctant to remake the seminal movie.

From Los Angeles Times

Calling all Angel-emos: My Chemical Romance is celebrating its seminal album “The Black Parade” with a stadium tour slated for next summer.

From Los Angeles Times

English Football League chairman Rick Parry says he hopes a "seminal" review of the game by a new independent regulator could help overcome years of deadlock with the Premier League over a "fundamental financial reset".

From BBC

Related Words

• influential