standard

1 of 2

noun

stan·​dard ˈstan-dərd 

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

2

a

: 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

5

a

: 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

7

a

: 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

8

or standard petal

a

: the upper, large, often lobed petal of a papilionaceous flower (as of a pea or bean plant) : banner sense 6, vexillum sense 3 compare keel entry 2 sense 2b, wing entry 1 sense 2e(2)

b

: one of the three inner usually erect and incurved petals of an iris compare fall entry 2 sense 3f

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.

standardless adjective

standard

2 of 2

adjective

1

a

: 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

2

a

: 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

standardly adverb

Synonyms

Noun

• bar
• barometer
• benchmark
• criterion
• gold standard
• grade
• mark
• measure
• metric
• par
• touchstone
• yardstick

Adjective

• average
• common
• commonplace
• cut-and-dried
• cut-and-dry
• everyday
• garden-variety
• normal
• ordinary
• prosaic
• routine
• run-of-the-mill
• standard-issue
• unexceptional
• unremarkable
• usual
• workaday

Choose the Right Synonym for standard

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 upgrades brought Oracle Park up to the standard with the rest of the league, where flashing LED lights have grown to be increasingly commonplace during celebrations and closer’s entrances. —Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2024

Starbucks argues judges too often defer to the NLRB and the Supreme Court should require a standard that takes more factors into account. —USA TODAY, 23 Apr. 2024

Starbucks wants the Supreme Court to impose one standard across the courts — the one Starbucks considers more rigorous. —Andrea Hsu, NPR, 23 Apr. 2024

Brent crude, the international standard, gained 30 cents to $87.30 per barrel. —Zimo Zhong, Quartz, 23 Apr. 2024

They’re deeply focused on being true to themselves and hold their employer to the same standard. —Marcie Merriman, Fortune, 22 Apr. 2024

The announcement that correctional facilities will be carved out from the rule was made by the agency’s standards board Thursday and came amid considerable pressure from labor groups to get protections in place for their members. —Suhauna Hussain, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2024

The girls learn a little bit of everything – ballet, modern, jazz, hip-hop, classical, tap, West African - and must adhere to Young-Byron’s high standards, which include completion of an intense, 8-week summer conditioning course, staying out of trouble and maintaining at least a 3.0 GPA. —C. Isaiah Smalls Ii, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2024

Ghostface Killah and Raekwon wearing head-to-toe baggy Tommy Hilfiger, that was the standard. —Julissa James, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2024

Adjective

There are four different fares: standard coach, standard dining, premium dining, and superior dining. —Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 23 Apr. 2024

An eight-speed automatic transmission is standard on hybrids. —Detroit Free Press, 23 Apr. 2024

The basketball committee argued that adding the shot clock will also better prepare Colorado high school players for college basketball, where the shot clock has long been standard. —Kyle Newman, The Denver Post, 23 Apr. 2024

Its standard base model starts at $37,500, while a higher-end model, the Limited, starts at $53,650. —Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2024

There's no standard formulation, so reading ingredient lists is key. —Cynthia Sass, Mph, Health, 21 Apr. 2024

The private members club is offering a standard (individual) membership for $3,500 a year and a standard plus (spouse) membership for $4,000 a year, both with a $1,500 initiation fee. —Tori Latham, Robb Report, 19 Apr. 2024

That kind of vague warning is standard practice for Israel, which has not shared any detailed military plans — only general outlines — for its operations in Gaza since October. —Rachel Treisman, NPR, 19 Apr. 2024

But many people pour much more than a standard drink, which is 12 ounces of a regular beer, 4 ounces of regular wine or 1 ½ ounces of liquor. —Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 12 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French estandard banner, of Germanic origin; akin to Old English standan to stand and probably to Old High German hart hard

First Known Use

Noun

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

circa 1532, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing standard

• below standard
• bog-standard
• double standard
• gold standard
• living standard
• silver standard
• standard-bearer
• standard candle
• standard deviation
• standard error
• standard gauge
• standard-issue
• standard lamp
• standard model
• standard of living
• standard operating procedure
• standard petal
• standard position
• standard schnauzer
• standard score
• standard time
• the gold standard
• up to standard

Kids Definition

standard

1 of 2 noun

stan·​dard ˈstan-dərd 

1

a

: a figure used as an emblem by an organized body of people

the eagle was the Roman legion's standard

b

: the personal flag of the ruler of a state

2

a

: something set up by authority or by general consent as a rule for measuring or as a model

a standard of weight

standards of good manners

b

: the basis of value in a monetary system

the gold standard

3

: a structure that serves as a support

a lamp standard

standard

2 of 2 adjective

1

: used as or meeting a standard established by law or custom

standard weight

2

: regularly and widely used

standard practice in the trade

3

: having recognized and permanent value

standard reference works

4

: well established by usage in the speech or writing of the educated and widely recognized as acceptable

standard spelling

Medical Definition

standard

1 of 2 noun

stan·​dard ˈstan-dərd 

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

standard

2 of 2 adjective

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

standard weight

Legal Definition

standard

noun

stan·​dard

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