Word Study
germinal
CIDE DICTIONARY
germinal, a. [See Germ.].
- Pertaining or belonging to a germ; as, the germinal vesicle. [1913 Webster]
- Of or pertaining to the germ, or germ cells, as distinguished from the somatic cells. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
germinal, n. [F. See Germ .].
The seventh month of the French republican calendar [1792 -- 1806]. It began March 21 and ended April 19. See VendÉmiaire. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
germinal, adj.
1 relating to or of the nature of a germ or germs (see GERM 1).
2 in the earliest stage of development.
3 productive of new ideas.
1 relating to or of the nature of a germ or germs (see GERM 1).
2 in the earliest stage of development.
3 productive of new ideas.
Derivative
germinally adv.
Etymology
L germen germin- sprout: see GERM
THESAURUS
germinal
aboriginal, atomic, basal, basic, central, conceptive, conceptual, corpuscular, creative, crucial, elemental, elementary, embryonic, esemplastic, evanescent, fattening, fecund, fecundative, fertile, fertilizing, fetal, fructificative, fundamental, generative, genetic, germinant, germinational, germinative, germiparous, granular, ideational, ideative, imaginative, impalpable, imperceptible, imponderable, in embryo, in ovo, in the bud, inappreciable, indiscernible, infinitesimal, ingenious, inspired, intangible, inventive, invisible, larval, life-giving, microcosmic, microscopic, molecular, multiparous, notional, original, originative, pregnant, primal, primary, primeval, primitive, primordial, pristine, procreant, procreative, productive, prolific, propagative, protogenic, radical, reproductive, richening, rudimentary, seminal, shaping, spermatic, spermatozoic, subatomic, teeming, tenuous, thin, ultramicroscopic, unseeable, visionedROGET THESAURUS
germinal
Cause
N cause, origin, source, principle, element, occasioner, prime mover, primum mobile, vera causa, author, mainspring, agent, leaven, groundwork, foundation, spring, fountain, well, font, fountainhead, spring head, wellhead, fons et origo, genesis, descent, remote cause, influence, pivot, hinge, turning point, lever, crux, fulcrum, key, proximate cause, causa causans, straw that breaks the camel's back, ground, reason, reason why, why and wherefore, rationale, occasion, derivation, final cause, les dessous des cartes, undercurrents, rudiment, egg, germ, embryo, bud, root, radix radical, etymon, nucleus, seed, stem, stock, stirps, trunk, tap-root, gemmule, radicle, semen, sperm, nest, cradle, nursery, womb, nidus, birthplace, hotbed, causality, causation, origination, production, caused, causal, original, primary, primitive, primordial, aboriginal, protogenal, radical, embryonic, embryotic, in embryo, in ovo, seminal, germinal, at the bottom of, connate, having a common origin, because, behind the scenes, causa latet vis est notissima, felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas.For further exploring for "germinal" in Webster Dictionary Online