landmark

noun

land·​mark ˈland-ˌmärk 

1

: an object (such as a stone or tree) that marks the boundary of land

2

a

: a conspicuous object on land that marks a locality

b

: an anatomical structure used as a point of orientation in locating other structures

3

: an event or development that marks a turning point or a stage

4

: a structure (such as a building) of unusual historical and usually aesthetic interest

especially : one that is officially designated and set aside for preservation

Synonyms

• climacteric
• climax
• corner
• milepost
• milestone
• turning point
• watershed

Examples of landmark in a Sentence

The Golden Gate Bridge is a famous landmark in San Francisco.

The battlefield is a national historical landmark.

The moon landing is a landmark in space exploration.

The decision was a landmark in legal history.

Recent Examples on the Web

Swift successfully petitioned the Beverly Hills City Council in 2017 to designate the home as a historic city landmark. —Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 2 May 2025

Magic City Kitchen 241 Forsyth St. SW One of the city’s most iconic landmarks, Magic City is a legendary strip club that doubles as a music industry springboard for hip-hop acts looking to test the viability of their songs before wider release. —Mike Jordan, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 May 2025

This type of navigation, likely using optical recognition of landmarks, is becoming essential for drones in Ukraine, as jamming ramps up. —David Hambling, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025

Niles tearing down Leaning Tower YMCA, making way for new shops, housing and more Crews began this week to demolish the Leaning Tower YMCA building in Niles that is adjacent to the iconic landmark of the same name, paving the way for the village to begin a sprawling mixed-use redevelopment. —Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for landmark

• ballpark
• benchmark
• birthmark
• daymark
• earmark
• embark
• hallmark
• monarch
• postmark
• remark
• skylark
• tetrarch

Kids Definition

landmark

noun

land·​mark ˈlan(d)-ˌmärk 

1

: an object that marks the boundary of land

2

a

: a usually large object on land that is easy to see and can help a person find the way to a place near it

b

: an important building or monument

historical landmarks

3

: an event that marks a turning point

Medical Definition

landmark

noun

land·​mark -ˌmärk 

1

: an anatomical structure used as a point of orientation in locating other structures (as in surgical procedures)

2

: a point on the body or skeleton from which anthropological measurements are taken

Legal Definition

landmark

noun

land·​mark

often attributive

1

: an object (as a stone or tree) that marks a boundary of land

2

: an event or development that marks a turning point or stage

a landmark decision

3

: a structure (as a building) of unusual historical or aesthetic interest

especially : one that is officially designated and set aside for preservation