standard

noun

stan·dard | \ ˈstan-dərd

Definition of standard

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a conspicuous object (such as a banner) formerly carried at the top of a pole and used to mark a rallying point especially in battle or to serve as an emblem

2a : a long narrow tapering flag that is personal to an individual or corporation and bears heraldic devices

b : the personal flag of the head of a state or of a member of a royal family

c : an organization flag carried by a mounted or motorized military unit

d : banner sense 1

3 : something established by authority, custom, or general consent as a model or example : criterion quite slow by today's standards

4 : something set up and established by authority as a rule for the measure of quantity, weight, extent, value, or quality

5a : the fineness and legally fixed weight of the metal used in coins

b : the basis of value in a monetary system the gold standard

6 : a structure built for or serving as a base or support

7a : a shrub or herb grown with an erect main stem so that it forms or resembles a tree

b : a fruit tree grafted on a stock that does not induce dwarfing

8a : the large odd upper petal of a papilionaceous flower (as of the pea)

b : one of the three inner usually erect and incurved petals of an iris

9 : a musical composition (such as a song) that has become a part of the standard repertoire

10 : a vehicle with a manual transmission : manual Her new car is a standard.

standard

adjective

Definition of standard (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : constituting or conforming to a standard especially as established by law or custom standard weight

b : sound and usable but not of top quality standard beef

2a : regularly and widely used, available, or supplied standard automobile equipment

b : well-established and very familiar the standard opera

3 : having recognized and permanent value a standard reference work

4 : substantially uniform and well established by usage in the speech and writing of the educated and widely recognized as acceptable standard pronunciation is subject to regional variations

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Choose the Right Synonym for standard

Noun

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 standard in a Sentence

Noun

By modern standards, the house is just too small. This book is the standard by which all others must be judged.

Adjective

a window of standard width The movie was a pretty standard romantic comedy. The word is considered standard.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

The great performers who live and tour here of course set the standard, but there’s another key factor at play: the audience. — Howard Reich, chicagotribune.com, "Chicago stories will unfold at 13th Hyde Park Jazz Festival," 7 June 2019 Chugiak jumping coach Charity Manwaring said Sparks was held to the same workout standards as the other athletes and finished every workout with a smile on his face. — Matt Tunseth, Anchorage Daily News, "‘He’s got this magical thing’: Track program gives special-needs student a sense of belonging," 7 June 2019 Brent crude oil, the international standard, closed 1.7% higher at $61.67 a barrel. — Washington Post, "US stocks climb on hope of US-Mexico trade deal," 7 June 2019 The teachers hold themselves to the same standards, serving as role models for their students. — Jessica Levy, Indianapolis Star, "Sycamore School helps gifted children thrive," 7 June 2019 Stone’s motion seeks either Brocksom’s acquittal and release, or a new trial, due to defense allegations of violation of speedy trial standards and manipulation of charges by prosecutors. — Jim Newton, Lake County News-Sun, "Man convicted of Gurnee murder last fall might finally be sentenced next month," 7 June 2019 The new drone presents even more challenges for regulators because there aren’t standards yet for its robotic features. — Alan Levin, latimes.com, "Amazon unveils a chopper-plane mashup to deliver packages," 6 June 2019 Youth workers have to follow certain standards and are expected to complete jobs in a timely and courteous manner. — courant.com, "Community News For The Hebron Edition," 6 June 2019 The new drone presents even more challenges for regulators because there aren’t standards yet for its robotic features. — Alan Levin, Fortune, "Amazon Reveals Its Latest Delivery Drone Design," 5 June 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

Gmail's standard dark theme turns the background steel gray; Slack's dark theme goes dark, but not quite black. — Arielle Pardes, WIRED, "Do You Really Need Dark Mode?," 8 June 2019 The investigation will include a standard probe by the Army’s Criminal Investigation Division, a review by a safety team from Alabama’s Fort Rucker and a re-creation of the scene aided by New York State Police, according to the academy . — Washington Post, "National Digest: Minneapolis officer who shot woman sentenced to 121/2 years," 8 June 2019 It’s also heavy on bonuses, which seems to be standard practice for ASU athletics under university president Michael Crow. — Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, "Stock report: On USC football momentum, Stanford basketball personnel hits, Pac-12 bowl partners and more," 7 June 2019 This version, scheduled for 2024, will have an output (2.36 megawatts) and a price (€2.4m) about the same as those of a standard turbine in a wind farm. — The Economist, "An innovative approach to making electricity from the wind," 7 June 2019 Trump's aides stayed in some of the toniest neighborhoods in London, with rates for standard hotel rooms at the Intercontinental Hotel Park Lane easily topping $500. — Anchorage Daily News, "Trump family members promote themselves, and businesses, on European trip," 7 June 2019 But in fact the car is sharper-looking and much more fun to drive than the standard Civic, at a price point that young buyers will have a hard time resisting. — Charles Fleming, latimes.com, "Sedans are dead? No one told Honda, whose new Civic is sleeker and sportier," 7 June 2019 Fabrics are being cut, ironed, and assembled, all to standard qualifications set by the International Days for Girls organization. — Kitty Leshay, courant.com, "Days For Girls: Empowering Girls Worldwide," 7 June 2019 Wireless external storage The Filehub has a standard USB port to connect a flash drive or external hard drive. — Dallas News, "Why everyone needs a Ravpower Filehub in their computer bag," 6 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'standard.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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11 Jun 2019

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The first known use of standard was in the 12th century

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More Definitions for standard

standard

noun

English Language Learners Definition of standard

(Entry 1 of 2)

: a level of quality, achievement, etc., that is considered acceptable or desirable

: ideas about morally correct and acceptable behavior

: something that is very good and that is used to make judgments about the quality of other things

standard

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of standard (Entry 2 of 2)

: regularly and widely used, seen, or accepted : not unusual or special

: generally accepted and used because of high quality or excellence

: accepted and used by most of the educated speakers and writers of a language

See the full definition for standard in the English Language Learners Dictionary

standard

noun

stan·dard | \ ˈstan-dərd

Kids Definition of standard

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : something set up as a rule for measuring or as a model a standard of weight “There have to be standards. We can't have kids walking around saying ‘ain't’ …”— Andrew Clements, Frindle

2 : the personal flag of the ruler of a state

3 : an upright support a lamp standard

4 : a figure used as a symbol by an organized body of people

standard

adjective

Kids Definition of standard (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : used as or matching a model or rule to compare against standard weight

2 : regularly and widely used It's a standard practice in the trade. The script is standard … and so are the costumes …— Barbara Robinson, Best Christmas Pageant

3 : widely known and accepted to be of good and permanent value The book is a standard reference work on grammar.

standard

noun

stan·dard | \ ˈstan-dərd

Medical Definition of standard

(Entry 1 of 2)

: something set up or established by an authority as a rule for the measure of quantity, weight, extent, value, or quality

standard

adjective

Medical Definition of standard (Entry 2 of 2)

: constituting or conforming to a standard especially as established by law or custom standard weight

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standard

noun

stan·dard

Legal Definition of standard

1 : something established by authority, custom, or general consent as a model, example, or point of reference the standard of the reasonable person

2 : something established by authority as a rule for the measure of quantity, weight, extent, value, or quality

3 : the basis of value in a monetary system

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standard

Definition of standard

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standard

Definition of standard

Other Words from standard

Synonyms & Antonyms for standard

Choose the Right Synonym for standard

Examples of standard in a Sentence

First Known Use of standard

History and Etymology for standard

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The first known use of standard was in the 12th century

English Language Learners Definition of standard

Kids Definition of standard

Medical Definition of standard

Legal Definition of standard

WORD OF THE DAY

recidivism

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