TOUCHSTONE
Dictionary entry overview: What does touchstone mean?
• TOUCHSTONE (noun)
The noun TOUCHSTONE has 1 sense:
1. a basis for comparison; a reference point against which other things can be evaluated
Familiarity information: TOUCHSTONE used as a noun is very rare.
Dictionary entry details
• TOUCHSTONE (noun)
Meaning:
A basis for comparison; a reference point against which other things can be evaluated
Classified under:
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents
Synonyms:
criterion; standard; touchstone; measure
Context examples:
the schools comply with federal standards / they set the measure for all subsequent work
Hypernyms ("touchstone" is a kind of...):
point of reference; reference; reference point (an indicator that orients you generally)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "touchstone"):
benchmark (a standard by which something can be measured or judged)
baseline (an imaginary line or standard by which things are measured or compared)
gauge; standard of measurement (accepted or approved instance or example of a quantity or quality against which others are judged or measured or compared)
graduated table; ordered series; scale; scale of measurement (an ordered reference standard)
medium of exchange; monetary system (anything that is generally accepted as a standard of value and a measure of wealth in a particular country or region)
yardstick (a measure or standard used for comparison)
procrustean bed; procrustean rule; procrustean standard (a standard that is enforced uniformly without regard to individuality)
GPA; grade point average (a measure of a student's academic achievement at a college or university; calculated by dividing the total number of grade points received by the total number attempted)
earned run average; ERA ((baseball) a measure of a pitcher's effectiveness; calculated as the average number of earned runs allowed by the pitcher for every nine innings pitched)
norm (a standard or model or pattern regarded as typical)
