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

He saw the gold standard as a useful curb on governments’ ability to foment booms and busts by printing money.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 22, 2026

The River Test is the gold standard of chalk streams and it's crucial that we, as custodians of it, do everything we can to protect it for future generations.

From BBC • Jun. 18, 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

We wore the same haircut, a towering box cut made popular by rappers like Big Daddy Kane, whose elegantly chiseled high-top was the gold standard.

From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore