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GRE vocabulary

seminal

adjectiveHigh-frequency wordMore S words

strongly influencing later developments; foundational

Word origin: From Latin semen, seed.

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In a sentence

Seminal in a sentence

Here are example sentences showing seminal in a sentence.

Her seminal paper reshaped the entire field of genetics.

Her seminal paper on the topic reshaped the field and is still cited in nearly every survey of the literature.

Synonyms
formativegroundbreakinginfluential
Usage & nuance

Using “seminal” well

Seminal means foundational, strongly influencing later developments. A seminal work is one from which much subsequent thought grows, so the word praises originative importance, not just quality.

Common questions

Questions about “seminal

Seminal (adjective) means strongly influencing later developments; foundational
Here is seminal used in an example sentence: "Her seminal paper reshaped the entire field of genetics." Another example: "Her seminal paper on the topic reshaped the field and is still cited in nearly every survey of the literature."
Common synonyms for seminal include formative, groundbreaking, influential.
Antonyms of seminal include derivative, trivial.
Clusters with formative, groundbreaking, and influential in Sentence Equivalence. Its antonyms derivative and trivial mark the opposite, unoriginal or unimportant pole.
Yes. Seminal is a high-frequency GRE word, so it is worth prioritising as you build your vocabulary.

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