benchmark

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a standard by which something can be measured or judged

   The star student's essay set the benchmark of quality.

2. 2
   noun

   A standard by which something is evaluated or measured.

   Near-synonym: criterion

3. 3
   noun

   A surveyor's mark made on some stationary object and shown on a map; used as a reference point.

   Near-synonym: datum

4. 4
   noun

   a surveyor's mark on a permanent object of predetermined position and elevation used as a reference point

5. 5
   noun

   A computer program that is executed to assess the performance of the runtime environment.

6. 6
   verb

   To measure the performance or quality of (an item) relative to another similar item in an impartial scientific manner.

Etymology

From bench + mark. First use appears c. 1842. Originally a mark cut into a stone by land surveyors to secure a bench (from land surveying jargon in the 19th century, meaning a type of bracket), to mount measuring equipment. The figurative sense first appears c. 1884.