benchmark

Meaning

Noun

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

Verb

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

Synonyms

bench mark

criterion

measure

standard

point of reference

reference

reference mark

reference point

touchstone

yardstick

performance benchmark

reference level

baseline

benchmarking

gold standard

Translations

punto de referencia

point de repère

Maßstab

critère

repère

Hyphenated as

bench‧mark

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈbɛn(t)ʃmɑːk/

Etymology

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.