litmus test
noun
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Litmus Test Has Scientific Origins
It was in the 14th century that scientists discovered that litmus, a mixture of colored organic compounds obtained from lichen, turns red in acid solutions and blue in alkaline solutions and, thus, can be used as an acid-base indicator. Six centuries later, people began using litmus test figuratively. It can now refer to any single factor that establishes the true character of something or causes it to be assigned to one category or another. Often it refers to something (such as an opinion about a political or moral issue) that can be used to make a judgment about whether someone or something is acceptable or not.
Examples of litmus test in a Sentence
Reid J. Epstein, New York Times, 23 Mar. 2025
Scientific institutions should therefore avoid actions that could be interpreted as political litmus tests.
—Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2025
This weekend’s public debut of twin six-month-old cubs at Ocean Park will serve as a litmus test, with hopes the bears will spark a viral moment similar to Moo Deng, the pygmy hippo in Thailand who took social media by storm last year and saw a flood of tourists visit her zoo.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune Asia, 14 Feb. 2025
Still, what many feel will be the litmus test for Chinese sensibilities toward U.S. movies won’t be seen until the end of the year when Zootopia 2 starts scurrying around (another movie that’s not yet dated in China).
—Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for litmus test
Cite this Entry
“Litmus test.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/litmus%20test. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.
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