milestone

Noun

1. A stone milepost (or by extension in other materials), one of a series of numbered markers placed along a road at regular intervals, typically at the side of the road or in a median.
2. (idiomatic) An important event in a person's life or career, in the history of a nation, in the life of some project, etc.

Verb

1. To place milestones along (a road, etc.).
2. (idiomatic) To plan out a project as a series of major steps.

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈmaɪlˌstoʊn/

Etymology

Cognate with Dutch: mijlsteen

Cognate with German: Meilenstein

Cognate with Swedish: milsten

In summary

From mile + stone. Compare Dutch mijlsteen (“milestone”), German Low German Mielensteen (“milestone”), German Meilenstein (“milestone”), Swedish milsten (“milestone”).

Synonyms

landmark

milepost

breakthrough

watershed

finish line

goal

phase

post

stake

stone

🪨

mile-post

spar buoy

new departure

standing stone

milliarium

innovation

breaktrough

anniversary

kilometer stone

cairn

discovery

event