benchmark

C1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈbɛn(t)ʃmɑːk/ See IPA manual

Freq #43692

Meanings

1

noun
A standard or point of reference against which things can be measured or judged.

The top student's essay set the benchmark for the whole class.
2

verb
To measure the quality or performance of something by comparing it against a standard or rival.

The company benchmarked its prices against those of its competitors.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a standard or point of... criterion

More kitemarkyardstick

Word family

Forms benchmarkedbenchmarkingbenchmarks

Derived forms benchmarkablebenchmarkerbenchmarketingmicrobenchmarknon-benchmarkrebenchmarkunbenchmarked

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.

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# benchmark

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈbɛn(t)ʃmɑːk/
**Frequency rank:** 43692

## Meanings
1. A standard or point of reference against which things can be measured or judged.
2. To measure the quality or performance of something by comparing it against a standard or rival.

## Examples
- The top student's essay set the benchmark for the whole class.
- The company benchmarked its prices against those of its competitors.

## Synonyms
- kitemark
- yardstick

## Derived Forms
- benchmarkable
- benchmarker
- benchmarketing
- microbenchmark
- non-benchmark
- rebenchmark
- unbenchmarked

## 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.

## AI Etymology
Benchmark is 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. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern nominal form is built from the named base and affix. Current senses include a standard or point of reference against which things can be measured or judged and to measure the quality or performance of something by comparing it against a standard or rival. The wider family includes derived forms such as benchmarkable, benchmarker, benchmarketing, microbenchmark, and non-benchmark.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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benchmark

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