touchstone

noun

touch·​stone ˈtəch-ˌstōn How to pronounce touchstone (audio)
plural touchstones
1
: a fundamental or quintessential part or feature : basis
a touchstone film of that decade
now considered a touchstone of the city's lifeMichael Specter
2
: a test or criterion for determining the quality or genuineness of a thing
Good service is one touchstone of a first-class restaurant.
3
: a black siliceous stone related to flint that is used to test the purity of gold and formerly silver by the streak left on the stone when rubbed by the metal

Did you know?

Since the early 16th century, touchstone has referred to a particular kind of siliceous stone (that is, stone containing silica) used to do a particular job: determine the purity of precious metals. The process involves comparing marks made by rubbing a sample of a metal of known purity to marks made by a metal of unknown purity. The method is accurate enough in the case of determining the purity of gold that it is still in use today. Figurative use extended from this literal use, with touchstone functioning as a word for a test or criterion to determine the quality of a thing, and later to refer to a fundamental or quintessential part or feature of something.

Choose the Right Synonym for touchstone

standard, criterion, gauge, yardstick, touchstone mean a means of determining what a thing should be.

standard applies to any definite rule, principle, or measure established by authority.

standards of behavior

criterion may apply to anything used as a test of quality whether formulated as a rule or principle or not.

questioned the critic's criteria for excellence

gauge applies to a means of testing a particular dimension (such as thickness, depth, diameter) or figuratively a particular quality or aspect.

polls as a gauge of voter dissatisfaction

yardstick is an informal substitute for criterion that suggests quantity more often than quality.

housing construction as a yardstick of economic growth

touchstone suggests a simple test of the authenticity or value of something intangible.

fine service is one touchstone of a first-class restaurant

Examples of touchstone in a Sentence

Good service is one touchstone of a first-class restaurant. his book has long been a touchstone for travel writing that aspires to be literature
Recent Examples on the Web As society becomes more connected, the World’s Best Bars list has become a cultural touchstone, charting the shifting tastes of discerning drinkers. Hudson Lindenberger, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024 As a rare monocultural touchstone, Halloween should be treasured for its offline traditions. Kate Lindsay, The Atlantic, 23 Oct. 2024 The two sucker fish, a cultural touchstone for the Klamaths, were listed as endangered in 1988 and have yet to recover. Debra Utacia Krol, The Arizona Republic, 12 Oct. 2024 That idea for the rest of the ampers' look came from a cult classic film from the 1990s that the horror makeup guru worked on, as well as another touchstone from the genre. Dalton Ross, EW.com, 24 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for touchstone 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'touchstone.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of touchstone was in 1530

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Cite this Entry

“Touchstone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/touchstone. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

touchstone

noun
touch·​stone ˈtəch-ˌstōn How to pronounce touchstone (audio)
1
: a black stone formerly used to test the purity of gold and silver by the streak left on the stone when rubbed by the metal
2
: a test for judging something

More from Merriam-Webster on touchstone

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