steppingstone
[step-ing-stohn]
- a stone, or one of a line of stones, in shallow water, a marshy place, or the like, that is stepped on in crossing.
- a stone for use in mounting or ascending.
- any means or stage of advancement or improvement: She looked on the governorship as a steppingstone to the presidency.
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Origin of steppingstone
Middle English word dating back to 1275–1325
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words for steppingstone
vehicle, medium, power, equipment, process, route, technique, system, mechanism, instrument, step, mode, tactic, measure, factor, channel, aid, apparatus, fashion, agentExamples from the Web for steppingstone
Historical Examples of steppingstone
The ships going out of port were such a steppingstone to him, and a vague consciousness came back to him of having been in a ship.
A SimpletonCharles Reade