Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “groundbreaking” come from?

Groundbreaking derives from English ground, from English grind, from Faroese grind, from Old Norse grind, from Proto-Indo-European gʰr̥mtu- and gʰrendʰ-, both meaning to grind or crush.

groundbreaking (English): Innovative; new, different; doing something that...

Definitions

  1. Innovative; new, different; doing something that...

Ancestry of “groundbreaking”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishgroundThe surface of the Earth, as opposed to the sky...
2Middle Englishgroundground; Earth
3Old Englishgrundground; bottom, foundation; abyss, depths
4Proto-Germanicgrunduzground, foundation
5Proto-Indo-Europeangʰrem-to be angry; to sound, bellow, growl, roar, be...
6Proto-Indo-Europeangʰer-to rub; to stroke; to grind

Words derived from “groundbreaking”

  • groundbreakingly
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʰer- →