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

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

The two sucker fish, a cultural touchstone for the Klamaths, were listed as endangered in 1988 and have yet to recover. —

Debra Utacia Krol, USA TODAY, 5 Nov. 2024 These documents served as a touchstone for ethical use of AI in the defense and intelligence communities before either launched any large-scale AI initiatives. —

Jill Goldenziel, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024 The decor featured in director Nancy Meyers' classic movies (like What Women Want, Father of the Bride, The Parent Trap, and Something’s Gotta Give) is timeless, making this popular design aesthetic a cultural touchstone for multiple generations of rom-com fans. —

Maggie Gillette, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Oct. 2024 The friendship of Adra and Abraham is no sentimental cinematic Band-Aid for agonies or injustices but, rather, a touchstone for both men, who, in confronting each other, confront themselves. —

Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for touchstone