litmus test
Americannoun
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Chemistry. the use of litmus paper or solution to test the acidity or alkalinity of a solution.
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a crucial and revealing test in which there is one decisive factor.
noun
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a test to establish the acidity or alkalinity of a mixture
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a critical indication of future success or failure
Etymology
Origin of litmus test
First recorded in 1955–60; so called from chemical tests in which litmus or litmus paper is an indicator
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.
“It’ll be a litmus test for ‘Are you ready for primetime or not?’ ” he said.
From Slate ● Sep. 25, 2026
An exciting brand of rugby brought positive vibes back and supplied victories over France, Italy and Ireland this summer, but the real litmus test comes in the Tests against South Africa.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
Chesney’s mental training ultimately serves as a litmus test in discovering who is cut from a different cloth.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026
Audiences are using it as the ultimate relationship litmus test.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026
If unity is indeed the litmus test of human progress, neither history nor Heaven will readily forgive those who choose deliberately to raise their hands against it.
From One Common Faith by Baha'i International Community
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
