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milestone

American  
[mahyl-stohn] / ˈmaɪlˌstoʊn /

noun

  1. a stone functioning as a milepost.

  2. a significant event or stage in the life, progress, development, or the like of a person, nation, etc..

    Her getting the job of supervisor was a milestone in her career.
milestone British  
/ ˈmaɪlˌstəʊn /

noun

  1. a stone pillar that shows the distance in miles to or from a place

  2. a significant event in life, history, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of milestone

First recorded in 1740–50; mile + stone

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"No low-frequency radio image of the entire Southern Galactic Plane has been published before, making this an exciting milestone in astronomy."

From Science Daily

The Federal Reserve, the nation’s inflation watchdog, is approaching an uncomfortable milestone.

From MarketWatch

The Federal Reserve, the nation’s inflation watchdog, is approaching an uncomfortable milestone.

From MarketWatch

Since marriage is a milestone that often delineates youth from adulthood, a logical question is how this delay affects retirement saving.

From MarketWatch

“But for too many in this country, the significant costs associated with pregnancy, birth and infant care can transform this milestone into a source of financial distress.”

From MarketWatch

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.