Breakthroughes

/ˈbreɪkˌθruːz/ noun

Definition

Plural of breakthrough; major discoveries, innovations, or sudden significant progress or success.

Etymology

From 'break' + 'through' (to penetrate or overcome); emerged in the 20th century in scientific, medical, and business contexts. The '-es' plural is a non-standard or archaic variant of '-s'.

Kelly Says

The modern plural is 'breakthroughs' not 'breakthroughes'—this form is either archaic or represents older English pluralization rules. Seeing 'breakthroughes' is like linguistic archaeology, revealing how plurals changed over time.

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