Transcription
-
- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
-
- [tuhch-stohn]
- /ˈtʌtʃˌstoʊn/
- /ˈtʌtʃ.stəʊn/
-
- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [tuhch-stohn]
- /ˈtʌtʃˌstoʊn/
Definitions of touchstone word
- noun touchstone a test or criterion for the qualities of a thing. 1
- noun touchstone a black siliceous stone formerly used to test the purity of gold and silver by the color of the streak produced on it by rubbing it with either metal. 1
- noun touchstone reference point 1
- countable noun touchstone If you use one thing as a touchstone of another, you use it as a test or standard by which you judge the second thing. 0
- noun touchstone a criterion or standard by which judgment is made 0
- noun touchstone a hard dark siliceous stone, such as basalt or jasper, that is used to test the quality of gold and silver from the colour of the streak they produce on it 0
Information block about the term
Origin of touchstone
First appearance:
before 1475 One of the 25% oldest English words
First recorded in 1475-85; touch + stone
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Touchstone
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
touchstone popularity
A pretty common term. Usually people know it’s meaning, but prefer to use a more spread out synonym. About 63% of English native speakers know the meaning and use word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".
touchstone usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for touchstone
noun touchstone
- baseline — The baseline of a tennis, badminton, or basketball court is one of the lines at each end of the court that mark the limits of play.
- benchmark — A benchmark is something whose quality or quantity is known and which can therefore be used as a standard with which other things can be compared.
- blue book — A blue book is an official government report or register of statistics.
- canon — A canon is a member of the clergy who is on the staff of a cathedral.
- comp — Comp is short for compensation.
Top questions with touchstone
- what is a touchstone?
- what is touchstone method?
- what does touchstone mean?
- what is the meaning of touchstone?
- what happened to touchstone pictures?
- what is touchstone?
- who owns touchstone pictures?
- in which play would you find a character called touchstone?
- what is a touchstone text?
See also
Matching words
- Words starting with t
- Words starting with to
- Words starting with tou
- Words starting with touc
- Words starting with touch
- Words starting with touchs
- Words starting with touchst
- Words starting with touchsto
- Words starting with touchston
- Words starting with touchstone