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definitions

steppingstone

[step-ing-stohn]
noun
  1. a stone, or one of a line of stones, in shallow water, a marshy place, or the like, that is stepped on in crossing.
  2. a stone for use in mounting or ascending.
  3. any means or stage of advancement or improvement: She looked on the governorship as a steppingstone to the presidency.

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, agent

Examples 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 Simpleton

    Charles Reade