different between elementary vs seminal

English

Alternative forms

• elementar (obsolete)

Etymology

From Latin element?rius (“elementary”), from elementum (“one of the four elements of antiquity; fundamentals”) + -?rius (adjective-forming suffix). Cognate with French élémentaire.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /(?)?l???m?nt(?)??/
• (General American) enPR: ?l'?-m?n?t?-r?, -tr?, IPA^(key): /??l???m?nt(?)?i/
• Rhymes: -?nt??i, -?nt?i
• Hyphenation: el?e?men?ta?ry

Adjective

elementary (comparative more elementary, superlative most elementary)

1. Relating to the basic, essential or fundamental part of something.
2. Relating to an elementary school.
3. (physics) Relating to a subatomic particle.
4. (archaic) Sublunary; not celestial; belonging to the sublunary sphere, to which the four classical elements (earth, air, fire and water) were confined; composed of or pertaining to these four elements.

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

elementary (plural elementaries)

1. An elementary school
2. (mythology, mysticism) A supernatural being which is associated with the elements.

References

• John A. Simpson and Edward S. C. Weiner, editors (1989) , “elementary”, in The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd edition, Oxford: Clarendon Press, ?ISBN

English

Etymology

From Middle English seminal, semynal, from Old French seminal, seminale, from Latin s?min?lis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?s?m?n?l/
• Rhymes: -?m?n?l

Adjective

seminal (comparative more seminal, superlative most seminal)

1. Of or relating to seed or semen.
2. Creative or having the power to originate.
3. Highly influential, especially in some original way, and providing a basis for future development or research.

   Synonyms: influential, pioneering

   • 1827, Julius Hare and Augustus William Hare, Guesses at Truth

     The idea of God is, beyond all question or comparison, the one great seminal principle.

Synonyms

• (relating to seed): germinal
• (creative): innovative, primary
• (highly influential): influential, innovative, formative

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

seminal (plural seminals)

1. (obsolete) A seed.

Anagrams

• Elamins, Malines, Melians, isleman, menials, salmine

Catalan

Etymology

From Latin s?min?lis.

Adjective

seminal (masculine and feminine plural seminals)

1. seminal

Derived terms

• vesícula seminal

Further reading

• “seminal” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “seminal” in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana.
• “seminal” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “seminal” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

Portuguese

Etymology

From Latin s?min?lis.

Adjective

seminal m or f (plural seminais, comparable)

1. (botany) seminal (relating to seeds)
2. (anatomy) seminal (relating to semen)
3. seminal; creative; inventive

   Synonyms: criativo, inventivo, fértil

4. seminal (highly influential)

Related terms

• sêmen
• semente

Further reading

• “seminal” in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa.

Romanian

Etymology

From French séminal, from Latin seminalis.

Adjective

seminal m or n (feminine singular seminal?, masculine plural seminali, feminine and neuter plural seminale)

1. seminal

Declension

Spanish

Etymology

From Latin s?min?lis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /semi?nal/, [se.mi?nal]
• Rhymes: -al

Adjective

seminal (plural seminales)

1. (botany) seminal (relating to seeds)
2. (anatomy) seminal (relating to semen)
3. seminal; creative; inventive
4. seminal (highly influential)

Derived terms

Related terms

• semen
• semilla

Further reading

• “seminal” in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014.