noun
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a criterion or standard by which judgment is made
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a hard dark siliceous stone, such as basalt or jasper, that is used to test the quality of gold and silver from the colour of the streak they produce on it
Etymology
Origin of touchstone
Explanation
Use the noun touchstone to describe a basis for comparison. For example, a filmmaker's touchstone might be her all-time favorite movie; she wants her movie to be that good or similar to it in some way. Touchstone as it is defined today comes from an actual stone. In the late 15th century, gold and silver was rubbed, or touched against black quartz — the touchstone — to determine the purity of the metals. This was done by looking at the color of the streaks left on the stone. This is why a touchstone, in the figurative sense as it is used today, is a measuring tool.
Vocabulary lists containing touchstone
50th Anniversary of the March on Washington: "Trying to Inspire a New Generation" by Trip Gabriel
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Thomas Jefferson's First Inaugural Address (1801)
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This Week in Words: June 4 - 8, 2018
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Here, too, Beethoven serves as a musical, spiritual and political touchstone.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 19, 2026
The film was not a major success on its initial release but steadily grew into a midnight-movie favorite and international cult touchstone.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 11, 2026
Founded by storyteller Anant Pai after he noticed children on a quiz show knew more about Greek gods than their own mythological heroes, ACK quickly became a cultural touchstone.
From Barron's • Feb. 1, 2026
It is also consistent with the Supreme Court’s admonition that the touchstone of the Fourth Amendment is whether the search or seizure is “reasonable,” not whether it is supported by a judicial warrant.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 22, 2026
“I’m not a good touchstone to use for judging your sanity.”
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
