Definition of BREAKTHROUGH

breakthrough

Meanings

Plural: breakthroughs

Noun

  • a productive insight
  • making an important discovery
  • a penetration of a barrier such as an enemy's defense
  • An advance through and past enemy lines.
  • Any major progress; such as a great innovation or discovery that overcomes a significant obstacle.
  • The penetration of the opposition's defence.
  • The penetration of a separating wall or the remaining distance to an adjacent hollow (a crosscut in mining) or between two parts of a tunnel build from both ends; knockthrough.
  • The emergence or one or more symptoms of a condition despite medication or other medical treatment.

Adj

  • Characterized by major progress or overcoming some obstacle.
  • Involving the contraction of a disease by a person with a decreased susceptibility, such as a person who has been vaccinated to help prevent that disease.

Origin / Etymology

From break + through. Compare German Durchbruch and Dutch doorbraak (“breakthrough”, literally “through-break”).

Synonyms

discovery, find

Scrabble Score: 25

breakthrough is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
breakthrough is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
breakthrough is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 26

breakthrough is a valid Words With Friends word