ger·mi·nal 
(jûrmə-nəl)
(jûrmə-nəl)adj.
1. Of, relating to, or having the nature of a germ cell.
2. Of, relating to, or occurring in the earliest stage of development: was active in the germinal stages of the space program.
[French, from Latin germen, germin-, sprout, bud; see genə- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]
germi·nal·ly adv.