Promethean
Etymology
From Prometheus, the Titan of Greek myth who stole fire from the gods and gave it to mortals, enabling civilization. Zeus punished him by chaining him to a rock where an eagle ate his regenerating liver each day. The adjective carries both halves of the story: the world-changing gift and the defiant transgression behind it.
adjective · /pruh-MEE-thee-un/
Boldly original and creative, especially in defying limits to bring something new to humanity.
What it names
The daring of the inventor or rebel who steals power from on high and hands it to ordinary people — use it for feats of visionary creation that come with real risk or cost.
Example
The lab’s promethean ambition — to hand cheap gene editing to every clinic — thrilled its backers and terrified its critics.
Related idea
Innovative is a neutral word for the new; promethean adds grandeur and rebellion, the sense of wresting something powerful from forces that would rather withhold it.