Other forms: breakthroughs
A breakthrough is a sudden great discovery that changes everything after it. A medical breakthrough, a major breakthrough, a breakthrough in the case.
It is used of science, negotiation and police work alike, and it means a barrier has been passed rather than merely progress made. Breakthrough is also used of a performer's first major success: a breakthrough role. Note that in reporting, breakthrough is heavily overused — most genuine advances are slow — and that break through as two words is the ordinary verb.
1nounbreakthroughA sudden great discovery that changes what follows.
“The discovery of penicillin was a major breakthrough in medicine.”
2nounfirstA first major success.
“Her breakthrough came when she was cast in a hit TV series.”
breakthrough is a sudden advance.
From break + through. Compare German Durchbruch and Dutch doorbraak (“breakthrough”) literally “through-break”.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA
Practised in Science & Space