standard

[ stan-derd ]

/ ˈstæn dərd /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: standard / standards on Thesaurus.com

noun

something considered by an authority or by general consent as a basis of comparison; an approved model.

an object that is regarded as the usual or most common size or form of its kind: We stock the deluxe models as well as the standards.

a rule or principle that is used as a basis for judgment: They tried to establish standards for a new philosophical approach.

an average or normal requirement, quality, quantity, level, grade, etc.: His work this week hasn't been up to his usual standard.

standards, those morals, ethics, habits, etc., established by authority, custom, or an individual as acceptable: He tried to live up to his father's standards.

a grade of beef immediately below good.

the authorized exemplar of a unit of weight or measure.

a certain commodity in or by which a basic monetary unit is stated.Compare gold standard, silver standard, bimetallism, monometallism.

the legally established content of full-weight coins.

the prescribed degree of fineness for gold or silver.

British. a class or grade in elementary schools.

a musical piece of sufficiently enduring popularity to be made part of a permanent repertoire, especially a popular song.

a flag indicating the presence of a sovereign or public official.

a flag, emblematic figure, or other object raised on a pole to indicate the rallying point of an army, fleet, etc.

Military.

any of various military or naval flags.
the colors of a mounted unit.
Standard, a U.S. Navy radar-guided surface-to-air missile with a range of 10–30 miles (16–48 km).

Heraldry. a long, tapering flag or ensign, as of a monarch or a nation.

something that stands or is placed upright.

a long candlestick or candelabrum used in a church.

an upright support or supporting part.

Armor. a standing collar of mail.

Horticulture. a plant trained or grafted to have a single, erect, treelike stem.

Botany. a distinct petal, larger than the rest, of certain flowers; a vexillum.

adjective

serving as a basis of weight, measure, value, comparison, or judgment.

of recognized excellence or established authority: a standard reference on medieval history.

usual, common, or customary: Chairs are standard furniture in American households.

not electric or automatic; manual:standard transmission.

conforming in pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, etc., to the usage of most educated native speakers, especially those having prestige, and widely considered acceptable or correct: Standard American English;standard pronunciation.Compare nonstandard (def. 2).

authorized or approved: The program was broadcast on the standard broadcast band.

OTHER WORDS FOR standard

1, 3 gauge, basis, pattern, guide.

See synonyms for standard on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of standard

First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English, from Old French, probably from unattested Frankish standord (compare German Standort “standing-point”), conformed to -ard -ard

synonym study for standard

1, 3. Standard, criterion refer to the basis for making a judgment. A standard is an authoritative principle or rule that usually implies a model or pattern for guidance, by comparison with which the quantity, excellence, correctness, etc., of other things may be determined: She could serve as the standard of good breeding. A criterion is a rule or principle used to judge the value, suitability, probability, etc., of something, without necessarily implying any comparison: Wealth is no criterion of a person's worth.

OTHER WORDS FROM standard

pre·stand·ard, noun, adjectivesu·per·stand·ard, noun, adjectiveun·stand·ard, adjective

Words nearby standard

stanchless, stan culture, stand, stand a chance, standalone, standard, standard amenities, Standard American English, standard assessment tasks, standard atmosphere, standard-bearer

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use standard in a sentence

In addition, group members who had any community standards violations in a group will now require post approval for the next 30 days.
Facebook tries to clean up Groups with new policies|Sarah Perez|September 17, 2020|TechCrunch
The biggest news is a set of gold standard polls released in Minnesota and New Hampshire.
Our Forecast: A Brewing Current Could Lift Biden … or Swamp Him|Nick Fouriezos|September 17, 2020|Ozy
No one was sure exactly what that encryption standard should be.
Quantum computers threaten to end digital security. Here’s what’s being done about it|Jeremy Kahn|September 11, 2020|Fortune
Even at those prices, stiff by virtual event standards, Hinson said TechCrunch expects between 10,000 and 15,000 attendees this year, roughly in line with last year’s attendance figures.
‘Layer of data and efficiency’: How TechCrunch took Disrupt virtual — and grew for its tenth anniversary|Max Willens|September 11, 2020|Digiday

All but five of the top 100 films of 2019 would meet the Oscars’ standard of on-screen representation.
Despite some gains in the past year, Hollywood still has inclusion problems, study says|radmarya|September 10, 2020|Fortune
Using standard methods, the cost of printing DNA could run upwards of a billion dollars or more, depending on the strand.
Design Your Own Dinosaur: The Era of Custom DNA|Justin Jones|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The same Pediatrics journal notes that 17 states have some form of exception to the standard parental consent requirement.
Should Teens Have The Right To Die?|Brandy Zadrozny|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Christopher Nolan, Interstellar “My films are always held to a weirdly high standard,” Nolan told me.
Oscars 2015: The Daily Beast’s Picks, From Scarlett Johansson to ‘Boyhood’|Marlow Stern|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Completed in 1953 and composed with standard line breaks and punctuation, the book was completely ignored upon submission.
The Lost Novel of Nobel-Winner José Saramago|Charles Shafaieh|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The End of Gangs By Sam Quinones, Pacific-Standard Los Angeles gave America the modern street gang.
The Daily Beast’s Best Longreads, Dec 29-Jan 4, 2014|William Boot|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
And it would be hard indeed, if so remote a prince's notions of virtue and vice were to be offered as a standard for all mankind.
Gulliver's Travels|Jonathan Swift
The new creed, called the King's Book, approved by the houses of convocation, and made the standard of English orthodoxy.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell
The news of these successes brought crowds of volunteers to our standard.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various
As regards Great Britain, the gold standard is yet preserved for all practical purposes.
Readings in Money and Banking|Chester Arthur Phillips
Above, great standard electric lamps shed their white glare upon the eddying throng casting a myriad of grotesque shadows.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol|William J. Locke

British Dictionary definitions for standard

standard

/ (ˈstændəd) /

noun

an accepted or approved example of something against which others are judged or measured

(often plural) a principle of propriety, honesty, and integrityshe has no standards

a level of excellence or qualitya low standard of living

any distinctive flag, device, etc, as of a nation, sovereign, or special cause

any of a variety of naval or military flags
the colours of a cavalry regiment

a flag or emblem formerly used to show the central or rallying point of an army in battle

a large tapering flag ending in two points, originally borne by a sovereign or high-ranking noble

the commodity or commodities in which is stated the value of a basic monetary unitthe gold standard

an authorized model of a unit of measure or weight

a unit of board measure equal to 1980 board feet

(in coinage) the prescribed proportion by weight of precious metal and base metal that each coin must contain

an upright pole or beam, esp one used as a support

a piece of furniture consisting of an upright pole or beam on a base or support
(as modifier)a standard lamp

a plant, esp a fruit tree, that is trained so that it has an upright stem free of branches
(as modifier)a standard cherry

a song or piece of music that has remained popular for many years

the largest petal of a leguminous flower, such as a sweetpea

(in New Zealand and, formerly, in England and Wales) a class or level of attainment in an elementary school

adjective

of the usual, regularized, medium, or accepted kinda standard size

of recognized authority, competence, or excellencethe standard work on Greece

denoting or characterized by idiom, vocabulary, etc, that is regarded as correct and acceptable by educated native speakersCompare nonstandard, informal

British (formerly) (of eggs) of a size that is smaller than large and larger than medium

Word Origin for standard

C12: from Old French estandart gathering place, flag to mark such a place, probably of Germanic origin; compare Old High German stantan to stand, Old High German ort place

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

standard

OTHER WORDS FOR standard

Origin of standard

synonym study for standard

OTHER WORDS FROM standard

Words nearby standard

Words related to standard

How to use standard in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for standard

Word Origin for standard