ˈ ̷ ̷mən ə l adjective
Etymology: French, from Latin germin-, germen + French -al
1.
a. : being in the germ or earliest stage of development : incipient , embryonic
the germinal philosophical ideas underlying western culture — Bulletin of Bates College
b. : creative or productive especially of new ideas or forces
a highly original and germinal critic — Malcolm Ross
2.
a. : of, relating to, or having the characteristics of a germ or germ cell
b. : of, relating to, or resembling the cells or tissues characteristic of the early stage of an embryo
• ger·mi·nal·ly - ə lē, - ə li adverb