standard

standard [stan′dərd]

n.

[ME < OFr estendard < Frank * standord, place of formation < Gmc * standan, to STAND + * ort, a place, orig., a point, akin to OE ord (see ODD): hence, orig., a standing place]

1. any figure or object, esp. a flag or banner, used as an emblem or symbol of a leader, people, military unit, etc.; specif.,

a) Heraldry a long, tapering flag used as an ensign, as by a king

b) Mil. the colors of a cavalry unit

2. something established for use as a rule or basis of comparison in measuring or judging capacity, quantity, content, extent, value, quality, etc. [standard of weight and measure]

3.

a) the proportion of pure gold or silver and base metal prescribed for use in coinage

b) the basis for the measure of value in a given monetary system: see GOLD STANDARD, SILVER STANDARD

4. the type, model, or example commonly or generally accepted or adhered to; criterion set for usages or practices [moral standards]

5. a level of excellence, attainment, etc. regarded as a measure of adequacy

6. any upright object used as a support, often a part of the thing it supports; supporting piece; base; stand

7. a former grade or class designation in a British elementary school

8. a piece of popular music that continues to be included in the repertoire of many bands, singers, etc. through the years

9. Bot.

a) the large, upper petal of a butterfly-shaped flower; vexillum

b) any of the three erect petals in the flower of an iris

10. Hort.

a) a tree or shrub with a tall, erect stem, that stands alone without support

b) a plant grafted on a single erect stem to grow in tree form

adj.

1. used as, or meeting the requirements of, a standard, rule, model, etc.

2. generally accepted as reliable or authoritative [standard reference books]

3. conforming to what is usual; regular or typical; not special or extra; ordinary [standard procedure]

4. Linguis.

a) of or in accord with the level of usage of most educated speakers of a language and established as the prestigious form of that language

b) [S-] designating the prestigious dialect of a given language [Standard American English]

SYN.- MODEL, STANDARD applies to some measure, principle, model, etc. with which things of the same class are compared in order to determine their quantity, value, quality, etc. [standard of purity for drugs ]; CRITERION applies to a test or rule for measuring the excellence, fitness, or correctness of something [mere memory is no accurate criterion of intelligence ]; GAUGE literally applies to a standard of measurement [a wire gauge], but figuratively it is equivalent to CRITERION [sales are an accurate gauge of a book's popularity ]; YARDSTICK refers to a test or criterion for measuring genuineness or value [time is the only true yardstick of a book's merit ]