gold standard

something set up as an example against which others of the same type are compared the gold standard for accurate experimental procedures is the double-blind medication trial Synonyms bar, barometer, benchmark, criterion, standard, grade, mark, measure, metric, par, touchstone, yardstickRelated Words case, example, instance; average, norm, rule; acme, apex, meridian, peak, pinnacle, summit, zenithNear Antonyms aberration, abnormality, deviation