[stan.dard] n [ME, fr. OF estandard rallying point, standard, of Gmc origin; akin to OE standan to stand and to OE ord point--more at odd] (12c) 1: a conspicuous object (as a banner) formerly carried at the top of a pole and used to mark a rallying point esp. in battle or to serve as an emblem
2. a: a long narrow tapering flag that is personal to an individual or corporation and bears heraldic devices b: the personal flag of the head of a state or of a member of a royal family c: an organization flag carried by a mounted or motorized military unit d: banner
3: something established by authority, custom, or general consent as a model or example: criterion
4: something set up and established by authority as a rule for the measure of quantity, weight, extent, value, or quality
5. a: the fineness and legally fixed weight of the metal used in coins b: the basis of value in a monetary system
6: a structure built for or serving as a base or support
7. a: a shrub or herb grown with an erect main stem so that it forms or resembles a tree b: a fruit tree grafted on a stock that does not induce dwarfing
8. a: the large odd upper petal of a papilionaceous flower (as the pea) b: one of the three inner usu. erect and incurved petals of an iris 9: a musical composition (as a song) that has become a part of the standard repertoire -- stan.dard.less adj syn standard, criterion, gauge, yardstick, touchstone mean a means of determining what a thing should be. standard applies to any definite rule, principle, or measure established by authority "standards of behavior". criterion may apply to anything used as a test of quality whether formulated as a rule or principle or not "questioned the critic's criteria for excellence". gauge applies to a means of testing a particular dimension (as thickness, depth, diameter) or figuratively a particular quality or aspect "polls as a gauge of voter dissatisfaction". yardstick is an informal substitute for criterion that suggests quantity more often than quality "housing construction as a yardstick of economic growth". touchstone suggests a simple test of the authenticit y or value of something intangible "fine service is one touchstone of a first-class restaurant".
[2]standard adj (1622) 1 a: constituting or conforming to a standard esp. as established by law or custom "~ weight" b: sound and usable but not of top quality "~ beef"
2. a: regularly and widely used, available, or supplied "~ automobile equipment" b: well-established and very familiar "the ~ opera"
3: having recognized and permanent value "a ~ reference work"
4: substantially uniform and well established by usage in the speech and writing of the educated and widely recognized as acceptable "~ pronunciation is subject to regional variations" -- stan.dard.ly adv