different between primordial vs seminal

English

Etymology

From the Latin pr?m?rdi?lis (“of the beginning”). Confer primordium and -al.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /p?a??m??.di.?l/
• (US) IPA^(key): /p?a??m??.di.?l/

Adjective

primordial (not comparable)

1. first, earliest or original

   • the primordial facts of our intelligent nature

2. (biology) characteristic of the earliest stage of the development of an organism, or relating to a primordium

   a primordial leaf; a primordial cell

3. primeval

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

primordial (plural primordials)

1. A first principle or element.

Translations

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin pr?m?rdi?lis (“of the beginning”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /p?i.m??.djal/

Adjective

primordial (feminine singular primordiale, masculine plural primordiaux, feminine plural primordiales)

1. primordial, primitive, original
2. vital, essential, paramount, of paramount importance

Further reading

• “primordial” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

German

Pronunciation

Adjective

primordial (not comparable)

1. primordial

Declension

Further reading

• “primordial” in Duden online

Portuguese

Etymology

From Latin pr?m?rdi?lis (“of the beginning”).

Adjective

primordial m or f (plural primordiais, comparable)

1. primordial (first, earliest or original)

   Synonym: primeiro

2. primary, main, paramount
   • 1982, Bernardo Soares, Livro do Desassossego, Vol.II

     Em mim o que há de primordial é o hábito e o jeito de sonhar.

   Synonyms: capital, essencial, importante

Derived terms

• primordialmente

Related terms

• primórdio

Further reading

• “primordial” in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa.

Romanian

Etymology

From French primordial

Adjective

primordial m or n (feminine singular primordial?, masculine plural primordiali, feminine and neuter plural primordiale)

1. primeval

Declension

Related terms

• primordialitate

Spanish

Etymology

From Latin pr?m?rdi?lis (“of the beginning”). Cognate with English primordial.

Adjective

primordial (plural primordiales)

1. primordial
2. primary, paramount

Related terms

• primordio

Further reading

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

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.