gold standard

American  

noun

1. a monetary system with gold of specified weight and fineness as the unit of value.

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gold standard British  

noun

1. a monetary system in which the unit of currency is defined with reference to gold

2. the supreme example of something against which others are judged or measured

   the current gold standard for breast cancer detection

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gold standard Cultural  

1. A system in which a nation's currency has a value measured in gold and can be exchanged for gold. Most nations, including the United States, went off the gold standard in the 1930s.

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Etymology

Origin of gold standard

An Americanism dating back to 1825–35

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

gold standard

Lawyers for CPL, the independent production company that makes the UK version of the show, have previously said its welfare system is "gold standard" and industry-leading.

From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026

For years, the SAT was the gold standard of college-admission exams.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 3, 2026

The Associated Press has become the gold standard for calling election outcomes — The Times typically relies on its expertise — and such announcements usually come well before all votes are counted.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 2, 2026

"Clinical trials are the gold standard, but by design, they are slow," says Guntuku.

From Science Daily ● May 24, 2026

Or do you suppose this is a red herring and that the abandonment of the gold standard is at the root of the matter?'

From "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro