seminal
adjective (formal)

- strongly influencing later developments

- containing important new ideas and having a great influence on later work

- seminal is used to describe things such as books, works, events, and experiences that have a great influence in a particular field

- connected with semen

Oxford Languages / Cambridge Dictionary / Collins Dictionary

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WORD ORIGIN

The origins of “seminal” are Latin: semen “seed, semen, source, origin” and seminalis “of or pertaining to seed, originative”.

So the core etymological meaning of seminal relates to containing seeds or originative ideas/concepts that go on to grow into something more developed. It suggests something that provides a critical early foundation for future achievements or creations.

That's why we refer to certain pioneering academic papers, studies, or works of art as "seminal" - they planted early seeds that grew into key advances or movements.

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SEMINAL EXAMPLES

- Johannes Gutenberg's invention of the printing press with movable type in the 15th century was a seminal advancement in the history of communication and publishing, making books and information more widely accessible to the masses.

- Charles Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection was a seminal work in the field of biology that fundamentally transformed our understanding of the diversity of life on Earth.

- Einstein's theory of relativity was a seminal work in physics that transformed our understanding of time and space.

- The Beatles made seminal contributions to the music industry that impacted pop culture for decades.

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SYNONYMS

adulated, applauded, avant-garde, celebrated, cornerstone, eminent, esteemed, exalted, forward-thinking, fountainhead, foundational, game-changing, germ,  groundbreaking, hailed, historic, honoured, illustrious, influential, initiative, innovative, keystone, leading, legendary, lynchpin, momentous, monumental, noteworthy, paramount, peerless, pivotal, preeminent, renowned, revolutionary, revered, SEMINAL, trailblazing, transformative, unparalleled, unrivaled, venerated, visionary, watershed, wellspring

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SMUGGLE OWAD into a conversation, say something like:

“Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations was a SEMINAL treatise in economics that established ideas like the "invisible hand" and free market capitalism.”

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