touchstone

noun

touch·stone ˈtəch-ˌstōn

plural touchstones

Synonyms of touchstone next

: a fundamental or quintessential part or feature : basis

a touchstone film of that decade

now considered a touchstone of the city's life—

Michael Specter

: a test or criterion for determining the quality or genuineness of a thing

Good service is one touchstone of a first-class restaurant.

: 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 The plight of the prisoners is an emotional touchstone across the West Bank and Gaza. —

Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 24 Nov. 2023 And while few may remember the Emilio Estevez-starring thriller, the soundtrack to 1993’s Judgment Night remains a significant touchstone in the evolution of the rap-rock connection. —

Ron Hart, SPIN, 22 Nov. 2023 The old-fashioned road trip is a classic touchstone of American travel culture. —

Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 20 Nov. 2023 This is another origin story of a villain, given the same treatment that Darth Vader, Hannibal Lecter, and many, many other recognizable big bads of past pop-culture touchstones. —

David Fear, Rolling Stone, 16 Nov. 2023 Chess has long been a touchstone for testing new ideas in artificial intelligence, and Penrose’s puzzles piqued Zahavy’s interest. —

Stephen Ornes, Quanta Magazine, 15 Nov. 2023 Many hero’s journey stories have become cultural touchstones that influence how people think about their world and themselves. —

Ben Rogers, Scientific American, 30 Oct. 2023 Lin’s braiding of personal experience and cultural touchstones make this memoir very special. —

Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2023 At every creative turn, every critical decision, from casting to locations to music, that has been my touchstone. —

Tony Goldwyn, Variety, 20 Oct. 2023 See More

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.