benchmark

Meanings

Noun

• A standard by which something is evaluated or measured.
• A surveyor's mark made on some stationary object and shown on a map; used as a reference point.
• A computer program that is executed to assess the performance of the runtime environment.

Verb

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

Origin

• From bench + mark. Originally (attested circa 1842) a mark cut into a stone by land surveyors to secure a "bench" (from 19th century land surveying jargon, meaning a type of bracket), to mount measuring equipment. Figurative sense attested circa 1884.