Meanings
comparative more groundbreaking · superlative most groundbreaking
- Innovative; new, different; doing something that has never been done before.
The latest model includes several groundbreaking features and improvements.
Synonyms: pathbreaking
plural groundbreakings
- countableuncountableThe point at which construction begins, by digging into the ground.
- countableuncountableA ceremony to mark the beginning of construction.
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveInnovative; new, different; doing something that has never been done before.
More synonyms by meaning
adjectivebeing or producing something like nothing done or experienced or created before
nounthe ceremonial breaking of the ground to formally begin a construction project
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
From ground + breaking, in reference to the practice of breaking ground at the beginning of a new building or construction.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic رَائِد
- رَائِد (rāʔid)innovative
Bulgarian новаторски, първа копка
- новаторски (novatorski)innovative
- първа копка (părva kopka)a ceremony to mark the beginning of construction
Danish banebrydende
- banebrydendeinnovative
Dutch baanbrekend, grensverleggend
- baanbrekendinnovative
- grensverleggendinnovative
Finnish uraauurtava, peruskiven muuraus
- uraauurtavainnovative
- peruskiven muurausa ceremony to mark the beginning of construction
French révolutionnaire
- révolutionnaireinnovative
German bahnbrechend, weltbewegend
- bahnbrechendinnovative
- weltbewegendinnovative
- innovativinnovative
- Grundsteinlegunga ceremony to mark the beginning of construction
- Baubeginna ceremony to mark the beginning of construction
Greek πρωτοποριακός, νεωτεριστικός
- πρωτοποριακός (protoporiakós)innovative
- νεωτεριστικός (neoteristikós)innovative
- εγκαίνια (egkaínia)a ceremony to mark the beginning of construction
- τελετή εγκαινίων (teletí egkainíon)a ceremony to mark the beginning of construction
Hebrew פורץ־דרך
- פורץ־דרךinnovative
Icelandic skóflustunga
- skóflustungaa ceremony to mark the beginning of construction
Italian rivoluzionario, innovativo
- rivoluzionarioinnovative
- innovativoinnovative
- di rotturainnovative
Norwegian banebrytende, nyskapende
- banebrytendeinnovative
- nyskapendeinnovative
- epokegjørendeinnovative
Polish innowacyjny, pionierski
- innowacyjnyinnovative
- pionierskiinnovative
- rewolucyjnyinnovative
- przełomowyinnovative
- nowatorskiinnovative
- prekursorskiinnovative
- wmurowanie kamienia węgielnegoa ceremony to mark the beginning of construction
Portuguese inovador
- inovadorinnovative
Spanish rompedor, romper esquemas
- rompedorinnovative
- romper esquemasinnovative
Swedish banbrytande
- banbrytandeinnovative
Cite this entry
groundbreaking. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/groundbreaking
“groundbreaking.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/groundbreaking. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “groundbreaking,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/groundbreaking.
Source: groundbreaking on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.