yardstick — A standard or criterion used for making a comparison or judgment. Originally a measuring stick one yard long, now used metaphorically to mean any benchmark for evaluation.
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: A standard or criterion used for making a comparison or judgment. Originally a measuring stick one yard long, now used metaphorically to mean any benchmark for evaluation.
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈjɑːrdˌstɪk/
Example Sentences
- Money shouldn't be the only yardstick for happiness - my cat is broke but perfectly content.
- The company uses customer satisfaction as its main yardstick for success.
- Using social media followers as a yardstick for popularity is like measuring intelligence with a banana.
yardstick
NOUN[/ˈjɑːrdˌstɪk/]
A standard or criterion used for making a comparison or judgment. Originally a measuring stick one yard long, now used metaphorically to mean any benchmark for evaluation.
A standard or criterion used for making a comparison or judgment. Originally a measuring stick one yard long, now used metaphorically to mean any benchmark for evaluation.
Is it the old yardstick or the smart stick that measures true?
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
A compound word formed in the 17th century from 'yard' (a unit of measurement equal to 3 feet) and 'stick' (a thin piece of wood). Originally referring to a physical measuring tool, it developed the figurative meaning of 'standard or criterion' by the 19th century.
Breakdown
yard (unit of measurement) + stick (thin piece of wood)
🎵Rhyme
📝Examples
“Money shouldn't be the only yardstick for happiness - my cat is broke but perfectly content.”
“The company uses customer satisfaction as its main yardstick for success.”
“Using social media followers as a yardstick for popularity is like measuring intelligence with a banana.”
“GDP is often used as a yardstick to compare different countries' economic performance.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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