seminal
adjective
sem·i·nal
ˈse-mə-nᵊl 
1
: of, relating to, or consisting of seed or semen
seminal discharge
Examples of seminal in a Sentence
Kandel was awarded the Nobel Prize in medicine in 2000 for his seminal observation that it was in the action of the synapses between cells that memory existed, not in the cells themselves, and that a molecule called cyclic AMP was what allowed cells to retain memory over the long term.
—
Michael Greenberg, New York Review of Books, 4 Dec. 2008
Writer Susan Sontag died December 28 at age 71 after a long battle with cancer. She left behind an impressive body of fiction and criticism, including her seminal 1960s essays "Notes on Camp" and "Against Interpretation."
—Allan Gurganus, Advocate, 1 Feb. 2005
I wonder if the curators who organized "Matisse Picasso" ever asked themselves why it was that Alfred H. Barr Jr., the first director of the Museum of Modern Art and the guiding spirit behind the museum's seminal exhibitions of both Picasso and Matisse, never mounted a show like the one that has now arrived at MoMA QNS. Such an exhibition might seem to be logical, almost inevitable for the Museum of Modern Art.
—Jed Perl, New Republic, 3 Mar. 2003
Michael Greenberg, New York Review of Books, 4 Dec. 2008
Writer Susan Sontag died December 28 at age 71 after a long battle with cancer. She left behind an impressive body of fiction and criticism, including her seminal 1960s essays "Notes on Camp" and "Against Interpretation."
—Allan Gurganus, Advocate, 1 Feb. 2005
I wonder if the curators who organized "Matisse Picasso" ever asked themselves why it was that Alfred H. Barr Jr., the first director of the Museum of Modern Art and the guiding spirit behind the museum's seminal exhibitions of both Picasso and Matisse, never mounted a show like the one that has now arrived at MoMA QNS. Such an exhibition might seem to be logical, almost inevitable for the Museum of Modern Art.
—Jed Perl, New Republic, 3 Mar. 2003
Recent Examples on the Web
Most importantly, the choice of the participants at this seminal A.I. conference must reassure the public that the conferees are shielded from special interests, geopolitical pressures, and profit-centric motives.
—Fadi Chehadé, Fortune, 26 Apr. 2024
The Get Up Kids have announced a North American tour to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their seminal emo album Something to Write Home About.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 25 Apr. 2024
Since premiering in 1963, the seminal show has become part of the fabric of British culture, reaching across generations and prompting many a dinner-table argument about which Doctor is the best.
—Ellise Shafer, Variety, 25 Apr. 2024
The Estate of Corky Lee Throughout the book, essays like Bald’s — by prominent Asian American artists, writers and community advocates — provide historical context for the seminal, albeit seldom discussed, moments of Asian American history that Lee was so driven to memorialize.
—Viviane Eng, NBC News, 24 Apr. 2024
After leading the 1973 Blaxploitation film Brother on the Run, Carter portrayed Pam Grier's boyfriend in the genre's seminal hit Foxy Brown in 1974.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 23 Apr. 2024
Every indie music lover remembers listening to Sufjan Stevens’ seminal concept album Illinois for the first time.
—Vulture, 23 Apr. 2024
On top of the Eisner, the comic was named best series at Angouleme, becoming the first DC comic to win anything at the European comic festival since the seminal 1980s miniseries Watchmen.
—Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Apr. 2024
As the visionary founder and former president of ABC, Goldenson played a seminal role in shaping the world of television and media.
—Meredith Ogilvie-Thompson, Variety, 17 Apr. 2024
Fadi Chehadé, Fortune, 26 Apr. 2024
The Get Up Kids have announced a North American tour to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their seminal emo album Something to Write Home About.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 25 Apr. 2024
Since premiering in 1963, the seminal show has become part of the fabric of British culture, reaching across generations and prompting many a dinner-table argument about which Doctor is the best.
—Ellise Shafer, Variety, 25 Apr. 2024
The Estate of Corky Lee Throughout the book, essays like Bald’s — by prominent Asian American artists, writers and community advocates — provide historical context for the seminal, albeit seldom discussed, moments of Asian American history that Lee was so driven to memorialize.
—Viviane Eng, NBC News, 24 Apr. 2024
After leading the 1973 Blaxploitation film Brother on the Run, Carter portrayed Pam Grier's boyfriend in the genre's seminal hit Foxy Brown in 1974.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 23 Apr. 2024
Every indie music lover remembers listening to Sufjan Stevens’ seminal concept album Illinois for the first time.
—Vulture, 23 Apr. 2024
On top of the Eisner, the comic was named best series at Angouleme, becoming the first DC comic to win anything at the European comic festival since the seminal 1980s miniseries Watchmen.
—Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Apr. 2024
As the visionary founder and former president of ABC, Goldenson played a seminal role in shaping the world of television and media.
—Meredith Ogilvie-Thompson, Variety, 17 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'seminal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near seminal
Cite this Entry
“Seminal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seminal. Accessed 3 May. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
seminal
adjective
sem·i·nal
ˈsem-ən-ᵊl
: of, relating to, or consisting of seed or semen
seminal discharge
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